World Health Organization has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains ahead of efforts to contain it. Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the virus had gained a big head-start and that health authorities were still catching up.

The WHO chief, who recently visited Ituri Province, the epicentre of the outbreak, said he was encouraged by the level of commitment shown by local health workers and officials. However, he stressed that the virus remains ahead of response efforts and called for faster action to contain the disease.

The virus has also spread to North and South Kivu provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda. Since the outbreak began in mid-May, the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded 344 confirmed cases and 60 deaths.