# Congo Ebola outbreak began in February, WHO says 2026-08-10T19:58:01+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The World Health Organisation has said that the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, the fastest-growing on record, began in February, months before it was officially declared on May 15. Genetic sequencing confirmed the earlier start, said WHO regional director Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi. He added that early cases were wrongly attributed to malaria and typhoid. As of August, confirmed cases have reached 4,200, including over 1,900 deaths, according to government figures. The rare Bundibugyo virus has no approved vaccines or treatments. Health teams face strikes, rebel threats, and shortages of protective gear. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the virus is spreading faster than containment efforts. ## Coverage - telanganatoday.com - newindianexpress.com Tags: Bundibugyo, DRC, Ebola, outbreak, public health, WHO Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/congo-ebola-outbreak-began-months-before-official-declaration-who/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/congo-ebola-outbreak-began-months-before-official-declaration-who/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.