Fall in official Ebola numbers appears to be good news but it's not that simple

There are now 380 confirmed cases of Ebola in DR Congo, far lower than initial estimates of suspected cases, writes Fergus Walsh. Ebola figures appear to offer hope as case numbers drop in DR Congo but it's not that simple Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Medical staff must wear protective equipment when treating people with Ebola because it spread through bodily fluids Medical staff wearing protective equipment at a hospital in Bunia, Ituri Provice in the Democractic Republic of Congo Fall in official Ebola numbers appears to be good news but it's not that simple The latest Ebola figures from the Democratic Republic of Congo appear to offer some hope after the number of cases was dramatically scaled back. At one point the authorities were talking of more than 1,000 suspected cases and nearly 250 suspected deaths. They are now reporting around 380 confirmed cases in DR Congo, including 60 deaths, plus another 15 confirmed cases and one death in neighbouring Uganda. However, the key difference is that the authorities are now talking about confirmed, rather than suspected, cases as before. So it would be a mistake to assume that the fall in numbers means the outbreak is suddenly less dangerous. The decline reflects better data, as laboratories were able to rule out many patients who had fever but were suffering from other conditions such as malaria which is common in DR Congo. The director general of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said the outbreak had a "big head start" but response teams are now "catching up". However, one of the biggest concerns remains contact tracing. Only about 45% of people in direct contact with an Ebola patient are currently being followed up, partly because the epicentre of the latest outbreak is in an area hit by conflict. The WHO says at least 90% of contacts must be traced to bring an outbreak under control. A health worker in full PPE - white suit and green rubber gloves - crouched on the right of a wooden coffin with gold handles How health workers in DR Congo are treating Ebola and staying safe A medic checks the temperature of a woman, using a contactless infrared thermometer. Only the arm of the medic, who is wearing white, is shown. The woman having her temperature checked has her hair in braids. She is wearing a bright blue top with a pattern and is standing next to a blue wooden door with a white and blue building in the background. What is Ebola and why is stopping the latest outbreak so difficult? Health workers dress up in personal protective equipment (PPE) at a medical center. Three Ebola vaccines in development amid growing outbreak fears Another challenge is mistrust among some communities. An Ebola burial team was reportedly attacked this week in South Kivu province, forcing responders to abandon a coffin and raising fears of further transmission. Traditional burial practices often involve washing and touching the body, and funerals typically draw large crowds - all high risk for Ebola, which is spread from one person to another by contact with infected bodily fluids. Tedros said building trust with communities was critical to bringing the outbreak under control. The Ebola outbreak is concentrated in three provinces of eastern DR Congo, an area roughly the size of the United Kingdom, much of it rural, remote and difficult to reach. It is also unfolding in one of the most volatile regions in Africa, with many armed groups operating. The latest outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, which has only occurred twice before. Because it is much rarer than other types of Ebola, there is no vaccine or proven treatment, although various teams are trying to develop them. Speaking on the BBC's Today programme, Tedros said that earlier this year he had urged foreign ministers planning to increase defence spending not to forget about the "invisible enemy". He said the Covid pandemic had resulted in around 20 million deaths - far more than any recent conflict. However, he stressed that he did not expect Ebola to spread worldwide because the virus is not airborne, unlike coronavirus. The WHO assesses the risk from Ebola as very high within DR Congo - this is the 17th outbreak in the country where it was first discovered 50 years ago - high in the region, but low globally. On Friday, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said its model scenarios showed that without strong public health intervention the current outbreak could become as large - or even larger - than the outbreak in West Africa in 2014-16. Separately, the US said it would provide an additional $38m (£28m) for Ebola "response efforts", bringing the total direct funding to more than $200m. Earlier this week British government officials said they had ruled out introducing temperature checks at UK airports for flights arriving from affected regions because of their limited effectiveness. More than 12,000 passengers were screened at five UK airports during the 2014 outbreak in West Africa, but these failed to pick up the only case, that of nurse Pauline Cafferkey. The image depicts a group of individuals dressed in full-body protective suits, complete with face masks, goggles, and bright orange gloves. Their attire suggests they are engaged in a high-risk operation, likely involving hazardous materials or infectious disease control. They are working outdoors in what appears to be a forested or rural environment, with greenery and natural terrain surrounding them. The scene conveys a sense of urgency and seriousness, as the protective gear is designed to minimise exposure to dangerous contaminants. 'Speed, money and compassion' - lessons from an Ebola survivor and other experts Makati Tagirabo,34, and Baraka Bulambula 29, Congolese health workers who recovered from the Ebola virus hold their certificates of discharge at the Evangelical Medical Center (CEM), as agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 31, 2026. REUTERS/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere Five patients recover from Ebola in DR Congo and leave hospital A person wearing a mask and peach headwrap is having their temperature checked with a contactless thermometer near their ear. it reads 36.3 degrees. 'Ebola has tortured us': Fear grips eastern DR Congo as deadly virus spreads A woman looking at her mobile phone and the graphic BBC News Africa Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica He follows the late great Papa Wemba in becoming a knight of the National Order of the Leopard. An outbreak of Ebola in DR Congo involves a rare species of the virus and is in an area affected by conflict. There are currently no approved drugs that target Bundibugyo - the species of Ebola responsible for this outbreak. A committee of MPs has been formed to look at the case against Cyril Ramaphosa, but he may survive a vote. Only two survived after trekking more than 50km (30 miles) across the desert to alert the authorities. The opposition has called for protests after the president's term in office was extended by a year. The rising popularity of lab-grown diamonds heaps pressure on those hunting for the natural gems. A fifth man was discharged and acquitted by the court due to insufficient evidence against him.