Since the outbreak was declared on 15 May, testing capacity has expanded, World Health Organization spokesperson Tarik Jašarević told reporters in Geneva.
Testing for the Bundibugyo virus is now available at six sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Bunia and Mongbwalu in Ituri Province; Bukavu and Lwiro in South Kivu; Goma in North Kivu; and the capital, Kinshasa.
Four additional laboratories have been activated in Uganda, where cases imported from the DRC have been confirmed—19 cases and one probable case to date.
Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement.
Breaking the chain
“We have blind spots where we get a low number of alerts,” Jašarević said. “There may be transmission chains that are not being detected, and there are still people who risk infecting others. We need to reach them.”
Bruno Michon, Operations Manager for the Ebola response at the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), emphasized that stopping the spread requires not only medical resources but also the time‑intensive work of building trust.
“In this outbreak, trust is not optional—it is lifesaving,” he said.
Speaking from Bunia, the crisis epicentre, Michon noted that “some people still question whether the disease is real” and suspect the outbreak was “invented” to attract foreign aid. Others view safe and dignified burials as an attack on cultural traditions rather than a protective measure.
Skepticism, doubt, and fear have hampered the response in conflict‑scarred eastern DRC, as local distrust of outside authorities raises the risk of transmission.
In the early days of the outbreak, two treatment centres were set on fire amid intense fighting that displaced more than 100,000 people.
WHO told UN News that the attacks were linked to misinformation circulating on social media.
“When people are afraid, they may not report symptoms,” Michon explained. “They may avoid treatment centres for fear of contamination and stay home with a fever, ashamed to tell their families because of the stigma attached to the disease.”
“Families try to bury their loved ones according to traditional practices without understanding the risk involved,” he added.
Respectful approach
The IFRC official said trust is earned by responding to community concerns.
“Based on community feedback, we introduced body bags with a window so families can see the face of the deceased and begin the grieving process,” he said.
“When communities feared that chlorine was being used to poison them, we did not argue. We demonstrated how disinfectants are prepared.”
“Without trust we cannot detect cases early, ensure safe and dignified burials, protect families, or stop transmission,” Michon concluded.
“Trust is not a secondary activity in the Ebola response. Trust is central.”
