WHO chief stresses safe burials amid escalating Ebola outbreak in DRC

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has visited Bunia, the epicenter of a rapidly escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), emphasizing the critical need for safe and dignified burial practices alongside early treatment seeking. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, is characterized by its rapid spread and the unfortunate reality that there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments for this particular strain [6, 20, 25]. During his visit, Ghebreyesus highlighted that the virus remains highly contagious even after death, making unsafe funeral and burial practices a significant driver of transmission. Historical data from the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak suggests that as much as 80% of cases could be linked to unsafe burial practices [9]. Therefore, the WHO strongly advocates for safe and dignified burials (SDB), a process that involves trained personnel, personal protective equipment (PPE), and careful handling of the deceased to prevent further spread of the virus, while also respecting cultural and religious sensitivities [1, 2, 10]. These practices include using impermeable body bags, disinfecting surfaces, and adapting traditional rituals to ensure safety without compromising dignity [1, 2]. The current outbreak in the DRC is described as one of the fastest-spreading and second-largest on record, with case numbers and deaths rising at an alarming rate [9, 17]. As of early September 2026, reports indicated over 6,300 confirmed cases and more than 3,000 deaths in the DRC alone [15]. The situation is exacerbated by challenges such as limited healthcare infrastructure, ongoing conflict in the region, and a lack of basic supplies for health workers [13, 17, 23]. The response efforts are struggling to keep pace with the virus's spread, leading to concerns that the true scale of the epidemic may be underestimated [6, 24]. Ghebreyesus's visit aimed to coordinate response efforts, encourage community engagement, and stress the importance of international support. He acknowledged that the funding pledged for the response has not been sufficient, with significant funding gaps remaining [18, 24]. The WHO has upgraded its risk assessment to 'very high' at the national level, underscoring the severity of the situation [6]. The Bundibugyo virus strain presents a unique challenge, as existing treatments and vaccines are primarily developed for other Ebola strains, such as the Zaire ebolavirus [17]. This underscores the importance of early supportive care, including isolation, rehydration, and pain management, as critical interventions [16, 20]. The article also touches upon the complexities of managing burials, where traditional practices of washing and touching the deceased conflict with necessary biosafety measures. Attacks on health facilities by crowds seeking to reclaim bodies for traditional burials have been reported, highlighting the deep-seated cultural significance of funeral rites and the challenges in balancing them with public health imperatives [20, 23]. The overall message from the WHO chief's visit is one of urgency, emphasizing that to control the epidemic, the response must be scaled up significantly, with increased funding, community involvement, and strict adherence to safety protocols, especially concerning burials [19, 22]. The effectiveness of such measures has been demonstrated in other regions, such as Uganda, which successfully contained its recent Ebola outbreak through rapid response and community engagement [24].

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