Health officials are scrambling to contain a rapidly growing Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as the number of deaths approaches 250 and suspected cases climb beyond 1,000.
Medical aid organisation Doctors Without Borders and the World Health Organization (WHO) have warned that the scale and speed of the outbreak are unprecedented, placing immense strain on already stretched healthcare resources.
Aid agencies say they are struggling to keep pace with the spread of the virus as supplies and personnel come under increasing pressure.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is currently in the outbreak's epicentre, Bunia, where he is overseeing containment efforts and engaging with local communities to help curb the transmission of the deadly disease.
Health officials have stressed the importance of public cooperation, warning that Ebola spreads easily through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals.
Speaking during his visit, Tedros said the DRC government has mobilised significant resources to combat the outbreak.
"The president and the prime minister are also engaged. I had already met the prime minister yesterday, and they have already allocated $20 million," he said.
"And they are mobilising, and under their leadership, with the support of all partners, we believe that we can stop it. But of course, there could be some analysis that we need to check and see if there are challenges, and address them."
With an effective vaccine still estimated to be more than nine months away, health authorities are focusing on surveillance, community engagement, contact tracing and treatment efforts in a bid to halt the spread of the virus.
The outbreak has heightened concerns among international health organisations, which warn that swift intervention and sustained funding will be critical to preventing further loss of life.