Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, visited health workers at the Evangelical Medical Centre (CEM) in Bunia, Congo, on Sunday, May 31, 2026. Congo’s ongoing Ebola outbreak has seen at least 282 confirmed cases, as reported by the central African nation late Sunday. Many of the recovered patients expressed their profound joy in interviews with The Associated Press.
Congo’s Ministry of Health indicated that the outbreak’s epicenter is in the eastern Ituri province, where 264 cases have been recorded. Over 1,000 suspected cases have been reported, involving the Bundibugyo virus, a species without an approved treatment or vaccine. Key challenges in managing the outbreak include early detection, rapid isolation, effective contact tracing, dignified burials, and enhancing infection control in healthcare facilities.
The health ministry noted that contact tracing coverage is at 45% with 220 suspected cases still under investigation. Interviews with some of the five people who have recovered highlight their relief. Baraka Bulambulu, a nurse, expressed his happiness after consecutive Ebola tests showed he was virus-free. Certificates of recovery were awarded to survivors during Tedros’ opening of a new Ebola treatment center in Bunia.
“The first one came back positive, but the second and third were negative for me,” Bulambulu shared with a smile. “Coming out of this illness alive is an indescribable joy.”
Ezo Étienne, another nurse, recalled his symptoms began as dizziness while attending to patients. “I realized something was wrong and checked my blood pressure, noticing it was low. Soon after, I started vomiting.” All five survivors are health workers, including four nurses and a lab worker. These individuals represent the most affected group in this outbreak. So far, treatments have primarily focused on symptom management.
Tedros acknowledged the health workers’ perseverance, saying, “Your courage gives hope and your living story shows that this outbreak can be stopped.”
Neighboring Uganda has experienced nine cases and has shut its border with Congo to prevent further spread. Though both Congo and Uganda have faced over 20 Ebola outbreaks, the Bundibugyo virus is infrequent. The absence of vaccines and treatments, along with remote locations and violence, complicates response efforts.
Nonetheless, Dr. Dieudonne Mwamba Kazadi, director-general of Congo’s National Institute of Public Health, deemed the recoveries a “victory worth celebrating.” He emphasized the importance of early care in dedicated health facilities, offering a powerful message that recovery from Ebola is achievable.