WHO Leader Visits Congo as Ebola Outbreak Spreads Fast

The head of the World Health Organization visited eastern Congo on Saturday to help fight a deadly Ebola outbreak. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus went to the city of Bunia, where the dangerous virus is spreading faster than doctors can treat it. The outbreak has killed 223 people and made 906 others sick. Nearby countries like Uganda and Rwanda have closed their borders to try to stop the disease from spreading.

Dr. Tedros visited treatment centers and met with local doctors and families affected by the disease. He said the best way to fight Ebola is to provide all the help needed at the place where it started. The WHO leader also met with Congo's Prime Minister to discuss the crisis. He told reporters that Congo has dealt with Ebola outbreaks before and can control this one too.

This type of Ebola, called the Bundibugyo virus, is very dangerous because there is no approved medicine or vaccine to treat it. The virus has also spread to Uganda, where nine people got sick and one person died. Medical experts say this outbreak is spreading faster than any Ebola outbreak they have seen before. No one knows exactly how bad it will get.

The European Union sent medical supplies to help fight the disease on Thursday. The United States announced it would give $80 million more in aid, bringing its total help to over $112 million. Hospitals in Bunia now have more staff, protective gear, and medical supplies than before. However, sick patients keep arriving at the hospitals day and night.

The response to the outbreak faces many challenges that make it harder to control the disease. Local people are angry about strict rules for burying victims of Ebola. These medical rules go against local burial traditions, which has caused residents to attack health centers at least three times. Armed rebel groups in the area have also made it dangerous for health workers to do their jobs.

Several countries have taken steps to try to prevent the disease from spreading across borders. Uganda and Rwanda have completely closed their borders with Congo. The United States has banned people who recently visited Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan from entering the country unless they are U.S. citizens. Dr. Tedros said these border closures and travel bans do not actually help stop the spread of Ebola.