The director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, acknowledged that the “magnitude and rapidity” with which the Ebola outbreak is spreading in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is alarming, with more than 500 suspected cases and 130 deaths also believed to be linked to transmission of the virus.

The person in charge announced that he has convened the Emergency Committee, an international group of experts that advises the WHO, which will meet throughout this Tuesday (05/19/2026) and will make recommendations to contain this outbreak.

For the first time, a WHO director declared - this Sunday - a public health emergency of international concern without having first met the Emergency Committee, which is possible after the changes made to the International Health Regulations after the COVID-19 pandemic in order to streamline measures and international coordination.