World Health Organization Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called for an immediate ceasefire in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to help contain a worsening Ebola outbreak. The WHO chief warned of a catastrophic collision of disease and conflict, stating that the outbreak in Ituri province is outpacing the response.
Three decades of conflict between armed groups have complicated efforts to control the disease. Ongoing fighting is driving mass displacement and spreading the virus within overcrowded camps, leaving aid workers struggling to respond to the crisis.
The outbreak has resulted in more than 200 suspected deaths, with suspected cases reaching 900. Tedros emphasized that stopping this Ebola transmission depends entirely on humanitarian access.