WHO warns Congo Ebola outbreak likely two to four times larger than reported

GENEVA — The World Health Organization's emergencies chief said the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is likely two to four times larger than official figures suggest, warning that official counts are understating the scale of the epidemic. WHO emergencies director Chikwe Ihekweazu said epidemiological analysis indicates the true caseload is several times higher than published totals, pointing to widespread community transmission rather than cases tied to known contacts. Government data released Wednesday put the case tally at 1,792 infections and 625 deaths since the outbreak began in the country's northeast, where Bulia in Ituri province has emerged as the main epicenter. About 90% of reported cases are concentrated in Ituri, with the virus also spreading to North Kivu, South Kivu and more recently to Tshopo province. Speaking to Reuters in Bulia, Ihekweazu said 80% of newly confirmed cases in the Bulia area show no link to known contacts, a sign of undetected spread. In North Kivu, where case numbers are lower, almost all new cases are linked to contact lists, suggesting partial progress is being made there. About half of patients tested in Bulia, a town of roughly one million people, have returned positive results, underscoring the depth of community transmission. The WHO is continuing to assess the scale of the outbreak with Congolese health authorities. No further details on additional response measures were immediately available.