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WHO chief ends DR Congo visit amid Ebola spread concerns

The head of the World Health Organization ended a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday after briefing the president on the Ebola response.

An aid agency said the outbreak is likely much larger than official figures show, raising concern that cases may be spreading undetected. The situation matters because hidden transmission can make containment much harder and increase the risk of wider regional spread.

  • Ebola was first identified in 1976 near rivers in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  • Some Ebola outbreaks have spread through family caregiving before health workers realized a case was infected.
  • WHO emergency teams often work with local labs to confirm outbreaks faster than symptoms alone can.
WHO chief ends DR Congo visit amid Ebola spread concerns | Implica