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STORY: WHO / EBOLA HEALTH ISSUES UPDATE
TRT: 06:27
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT WHO ON SCREEN
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 24 JUNE 2026, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE
FILE – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, WHO headquarters
24 JUNE 2026, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. Wide shot, press briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“We begin with the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It’s encouraging to see that since the outbreak was first reported five weeks ago, the response has scaled up significantly, under the leadership of the government.”
4. Wide shot, press briefing room
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“In the past five weeks, the number of treatment beds has increased from less than 10 to over 500 in 19 health centres. With support from WHO and the Africa CDC, laboratory capacity has increased from 30 tests a day at the central laboratory in Kinshasa to over 2000 tests a day in nine labs across three provinces.”
6. Wide shot, press briefing room
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“More communities are becoming aware of the risks of Ebola and asking for the tools and support to protect themselves. And more than 100 people have now recovered. With early detection and supportive care, many can survive this disease.”
8. Wide shot, press briefing room
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“But we could save many more lives with therapeutics. And Preparations are now complete for a trial of two therapeutics that is expected to start in DRC next week. The trial will evaluate whether two antivirals, MBP134 and remdesivir, can help to reduce mortality in patients with Bundibugyo virus disease, alone or in combination. We thank the United States and Gilead Sciences for donating doses for the trial. Together with our partners we will announce more information next week.”
10. Wide shot, press briefing room
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“WHO and our partners are working closely with the communities to inform and involve them in the trial. We are also working to ensure the communities have access to the therapeutics should they prove safe and efficacious. The trial will be conducted by a consortium of partners including DRC’s National Institute for Biomedical Research, ALIMA, Oxford University and WHO.”
12. Wide shot, press briefing room
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“Despite the good progress we have made, we still face major challenges, and the outbreak is continuing to outpace the response. There are now 1094 confirmed cases, with 277 deaths. The outbreak is continuing to move fast.”
14. Wide shot, press briefing room
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“In neighbouring Uganda, a new case was reported last Sunday, the first in two weeks. This brings the total in Uganda to 20 confirmed cases, with two confirmed deaths. All cases in Uganda are linked to the outbreak in DRC.”
16. Wide shot, press briefing room
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“Today, France reported that a health worker with the NGO ALIMA, who returned to the country after caring for an Ebola patient in DRC, tested positive for the virus, and is now being monitored and receiving care.”
18. Wide shot, press briefing room
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“Almost 80 health workers have been infected, highlighting the risks they face and the importance of strengthening infection prevention and control. WHO advises countries to support the safe deployment of personnel responding to this outbreak.”
20. Wide shot, press briefing room
21. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“Still, the risk to the rest of the world remains low. Under the government’s leadership, the coordinated response to the outbreak is starting to take hold.”
22. Wide shot, press briefing room
23. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“Now to the outbreak of hantavirus. The total number of cases from the hantavirus outbreak remains 13, including three deaths. In all, more than 650 contacts have been identified and followed up by local health authorities in 33 countries and territories.”
24. Wide shot, press briefing room
25. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“All but 54 contacts have completed their period of quarantine, and the remaining contacts are scheduled to complete their quarantine period by the 2nd of July. If no further cases are reported by then, WHO will consider the outbreak to be over.”
26. Wide shot, press briefing room
27. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“Now to the ongoing conflict in Sudan. In the city of El Obeid in North Kordofan, the humanitarian situation continues to worsen. WHO echoes concerns raised by the UN Security Council over the imminent risk of mass atrocities and supports the demand for an immediate halt to assaults.”
28. Wide shot, press briefing room
29. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“In neighbouring West Kordofan, the State Ministry of Health has reported 734 suspected cholera cases and 105 deaths, since the 15th of May. The outbreak is occurring in the context of health systems disrupted by long-running conflict.”
30. Wide shot, press briefing room
31. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“Countries across Europe and the northern hemisphere are experiencing an extreme heat wave. Extreme heat is one of the most serious and rapidly growing threats to health and safety posed by climate change.”
32. Wide shot, press briefing room
33. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“Heatwaves can also become a major health hazard for people attending mass gatherings and sporting events. During the World Cup, WHO is collaborating with FIFA and host countries on a “Beat the Heat initiative”, to develop action plans, raise awareness, establish early warning systems, improve access to safe drinking water, and implement cooling strategies and smart planning. Fans, workers, and event organisers are all exposed to heat. Protecting them sends a powerful signal: health must be at the centre of global events.”
34. Wide shot, press briefing room
On Ebola, the World Health Organization Director-General said: “With early detection and supportive care, many can survive this disease.”
Briefing reporters in Geneva today (24 June), World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “We begin with the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It's encouraging to see that since the outbreak was first reported five weeks ago, the response has scaled up significantly, under the leadership of the government.”
He added, “In the past five weeks, the number of treatment beds has increased from less than 10 to over 500 in 19 health centres. With support from WHO and the Africa CDC, laboratory capacity has increased from 30 tests a day at the central laboratory in Kinshasa to over 2000 tests a day in nine labs across three provinces.”
Tedros said, “More communities are becoming aware of the risks of Ebola and asking for the tools and support to protect themselves.” He said more than 100 people had now recovered, noting that early detection and supportive care could help patients survive the disease.
Turning to treatment options, he added: “But we could save many more lives with therapeutics. And preparations are now complete for a trial of two therapeutics that is expected to start in DRC next week. The trial will evaluate whether two antivirals, MBP134 and remdesivir, can help to reduce mortality in patients with Bundibugyo virus disease, alone or in combination. We thank the United States and Gilead Sciences for donating doses for the trial. Together with our partners we will announce more information next week.”
Tedros said, “WHO and our partners are working closely with the communities to inform and involve them in the trial. We are also working to ensure the communities have access to the therapeutics should they prove safe and efficacious. The trial will be conducted by a consortium of partners including DRC's National Institute for Biomedical Research, ALIMA, Oxford University and WHO.”
He added, “Despite the good progress we have made, we still face major challenges, and the outbreak is continuing to outpace the response. There are now 1094 confirmed cases, with 277 deaths. The outbreak is continuing to move fast.”
Tedros said Uganda had reported a new case last Sunday, its first in two weeks, bringing the country's total to 20 confirmed cases and two deaths, all linked to the outbreak in DRC, while France reported that an ALIMA health worker who had cared for an Ebola patient in DRC tested positive after returning home and was now being monitored and treated; he added that almost 80 health workers had been infected, underscoring the need for stronger infection prevention and the safe deployment of personnel, but said, “Still, the risk to the rest of the world remains low. Under the government's leadership, the coordinated response to the outbreak is starting to take hold.”
Turning to the hantavirus outbreak, Tedros said, “The total number of cases from the hantavirus outbreak remains 13, including three deaths. In all, more than 650 contacts have been identified and followed up by local health authorities in 33 countries and territories.”
He added, “All but 54 contacts have completed their period of quarantine, and the remaining contacts are scheduled to complete their quarantine period by the 2nd of July. If no further cases are reported by then, WHO will consider the outbreak to be over.”
Turning to the conflict in Sudan, Tedros said, “In the city of El Obeid in North Kordofan, the humanitarian situation continues to worsen. WHO echoes concerns raised by the UN Security Council over the imminent risk of mass atrocities and supports the demand for an immediate halt to assaults.”
He added, “In neighbouring West Kordofan, the State Ministry of Health has reported 734 suspected cholera cases and 105 deaths, since the 15th of May. The outbreak is occurring in the context of health systems disrupted by long-running conflict.”
Turning to the heat wave gripping Europe and the northern hemisphere, Tedros said, “Extreme heat is one of the most serious and rapidly growing threats to health and safety posed by climate change.”
The Director-General concluded, “Heatwaves can also become a major health hazard for people attending mass gatherings and sporting events. During the World Cup, WHO is collaborating with FIFA and host countries on a 'Beat the Heat initiative', to develop action plans, raise awareness, establish early warning systems, improve access to safe drinking water, and implement cooling strategies and smart planning. Fans, workers, and event organizers are all exposed to heat. Protecting them sends a powerful signal: health must be at the centre of global events.”
