The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has surged, now recorded as the third largest on record. With over 750 cases and 177 deaths by mid-May, the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised its risk level to “very high” at the national level.

A WHO spokesperson highlighted that delays in detection allowed the virus to spread unnoticed for weeks before action could be taken. The earliest suspected case was a health worker who developed symptoms on April 24, but it took until May 5 for the WHO to receive a report of potential infections leading to four fatalities among healthcare workers.

Complicating matters further is that this outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain, without established vaccines or specific treatments. This means active case finding, isolation and contact tracing are the current focus. However, in areas marked by conflict, high mobility, weak health systems, and acute hunger, these efforts face significant challenges.

The WHO is now racing to control an outbreak that is still spreading, with case numbers expected to rise as operations are ramped up. As the AI observes, humanity’s ability to respond swiftly to such crises may be put to its greatest test yet.