LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that five patients have recovered from the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Offering a glimmer of hope amid the growing outbreak that has claimed lives in Congo and neighboring Uganda, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus shared on Sunday that the patients were showing positive signs of recovery.
He made the announcement during the inauguration a new Ebola treatment center in Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province, one of the areas most affected by the outbreak.
“Four people will be discharged today and there was one that was discharged the day before yesterday,” Tedros said.
The WHO chief noted that while researchers continue efforts to develop approved vaccines and treatments for the Bundibugyo strain, recovery remains possible with timely medical care and supportive treatment.
“Of course, we’re still working on vaccines and treatments but that doesn’t mean that people cannot recover from Ebola,” he added.
The development is particularly significant because the Bundibugyo virus currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Notably, Tedros stressed the importance of community cooperation in stopping the outbreak.
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“If you come to health facilities when you have symptoms, you can get the support and recover, so the key is to come forward as early as possible and to get the necessary support. We can stop this Ebola and anyone who has it can also recover. But the rule … is this thing is everybody’s business and every citizen should be involved,” the WHO Chief added.
According to health authorities, 134 confirmed Ebola cases have been reported across Congo and neighboring Uganda, with 18 confirmed deaths recorded as of May 29.
For survivors, recovery has come with emotional and social challenges.
Speaking to correspondents from AFP, one of the recovered patients Baraka Bulambulu, said fear within local communities left many survivors feeling isolated while receiving treatment.
“Being able to come out of this alive is an immense source of happiness. Many people who were in the same situation died,” Bulambulu said.
Also, healthcare workers on the frontlines have shared firsthand accounts of the illness.
Nurse Ezo Étienne recalled how his symptoms began suddenly during a routine hospital ward round before rapidly worsening.
He experienced dizziness, vomiting, severe diarrhea, intense itching and extreme weakness.
Despite being tested seven times before receiving a confirmed Ebola diagnosis, his treatment focused mainly on managing symptoms.
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“That was all they could provide,” he said, referring to medications used to control vomiting, pain relief and fluids to prevent dehydration.
Étienne also warned against ignoring early warning signs, urging both medical workers and the public to seek immediate medical attention when symptoms appear.
He revealed that misinformation often leads people to assume they have been poisoned rather than seeking professional healthcare.
However, health experts say the outbreak remains a major concern.
International humanitarian medical organization, Médecins Sans Frontières, aka Doctors Without Borders, reported that the virus is spreading faster than response efforts despite improvements in healthcare facilities and increased international support.
The organization called for expanded testing, faster deployment of medical teams and uninterrupted access to essential supplies.
The response has also been complicated by tensions within affected communities.
Some residents have resisted strict health protocols governing the handling of Ebola victims bodies, leading to several attacks on treatment centres as grieving families demand the return of their loved ones for traditional burial rites.
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Security challenges have further slowed containment efforts.
Ongoing attacks by armed groups, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and other militias operating in eastern Congo, continue to disrupt healthcare operations in several affected regions.
Despite these obstacles, health officials remain optimistic as experts at the treatment center report that the increasing number of recoveries demonstrates that supportive care can save lives, even without a specific vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain.
In the words of the Incident Manager at Congo’s National Institute of Public Health, Pierre Akilimali, “The final message we would like to share with the Ituri community is that there is hope. With the symptomatic treatment that we are currently providing, we are seeing patients recover.”
Another physician, Davin Ambitapio, echoed that optimism, expressing confidence that the outbreak can be brought under control with continued support from health partners and local communities.
“We truly have hope. The virus here is not as complicated as those we have dealt with in the past, and with the support of all our partners, we believe we will be able to bring this outbreak under control as quickly as possible,” Ambitapio said.
