health
WHO Scales Back Number of Suspected Ebola Cases in Congo, But Front-Line Medics Say Major Challenges Remain
Updated on: June 2, 2026 / 10:11 AM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- WHO reduced suspected Ebola cases in DRC to 116 from over 900.
- Total confirmed cases stand at 321 in DRC (48 deaths) and 9 in Uganda (1 death).
- Many suspected cases were reclassified as other diseases or fevers.
- Health workers believe the outbreak may have been spreading undetected since January.
- Contact tracing is challenging, with only about a quarter of contacts being reached.
- Some individuals do not believe Ebola is real and seek alternative traditional treatments.
- Medics require more resources, including protective gear, to improve the response.
- Healthcare workers constitute 20% of new positive Ebola cases.
- Five nurses who contracted Ebola have recovered and been declared Ebola-free.
- WHO chief stressed the importance of early testing, treatment, and trust in health workers for survival.