Ebola Contact Tracing In Congo ‘Nearly Impossible,’ WHO Says

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported significant difficulties in implementing contact tracing during the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to the organization, sustained conflict in the region, mining operations and population dynamics have made containing the outbreak exceptionally difficult. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that conditions in the DRC are making it nearly impossible for contact tracing and containment, the primary tools available to limit spread of the Bundibugyo strain — one of the rarer Ebola strains — which has been identified as the cause of the current outbreak.

“In many affected areas, health facilities are either non-functional or operating under severe constraints due to insecurity. Poor road conditions further restrict the movement of goods and humanitarian assistance,” Tedros said in a recent update.

These factors have limited the ability to follow up on contacts of confirmed and suspected cases. Data from the DRC Ministry of Health around mid-to-late May 2026 indicated that, of over 1,600 identified contacts, health workers followed up with only about 21 percent on a given day.

The Bundibugyo virus strain lacks approved vaccines or specific therapeutics, which increases reliance on standard public health measures such as case isolation, contact monitoring and community engagement. WHO declarations and statements have repeatedly emphasized the need to strengthen these activities despite the obstacles.

The outbreak was officially declared by DRC authorities by on May 16, following laboratory confirmation of the Bundibugyo virus in samples from clusters in Ituri Province. As of the declaration, early reports listed eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases, and 80 suspected deaths in Ituri Province across health zones including Bunia, Rwampara, and Mongbwalu.

Cases were also confirmed in Uganda among individuals who had traveled from the DRC.

As of late May, the most recent available figures from DRC and Uganda health authorities and international monitoring show substantial growth. In the DRC, totals reached approximately 1,077 suspected cases, 121 confirmed cases, 246 suspected deaths, and 17 confirmed deaths.

Uganda has reported a smaller number of linked cases, including around seven confirmed cases and at least one death. No other countries have reported confirmed transmission linked to the outbreak as of this report, though a number of neighboring countries have restricted travel from the DRC.

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