Why is the Ebola outbreak in DRC spreading so fast?
Newshour
BBC
4.2 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 25 May 2026
⏱️ 48 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Why is the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo spreading so fast? We speak to a reporter who is there who says the aid response is only just beginning. Also on the programme: Pope Leo has warned of potential risks to humanity posed by artificial intelligence; and is there any chance of the Iran-US conflict leading to the expansion of the Abraham accords? (Photo: A Congolese woman reacts outside the house of a man who died of Ebola as she waits for medical workers to retrieve his body. Credit: Reuters)
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:09.3 | Hello and welcome to News Hour from the World Service of the BBC, live from London. |
| 0:14.9 | This is Owen Bennett-Jones, and today we speak to a reporter at the epicentre of the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak. |
| 0:24.0 | We will hear about Pakistani Shia Muslims being expelled from the UAE. |
| 0:29.9 | And we'll be asking, what was the point of the enhanced games? |
| 0:34.7 | And Pope Leo delivers the first major doctrinal message of his papacy on the dangers of AI. |
| 0:42.6 | Artificial intelligence needs to be disarmed. |
| 0:47.4 | The word is strong, I know, but deliberately chosen because this moment needs words capable of attracting attention, |
| 0:55.5 | awakening consciences, and indicating paths forward for humanity. |
| 1:02.0 | More on that in around 15 minutes. |
| 1:04.8 | But first, the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adenum, Gibriasis, |
| 1:19.2 | has said the Ebola outbreak in and around the Democratic Republic of Congo is outpacing the medical response. |
| 1:33.6 | Responders are now playing catch-up. A week ago, the WHO said 246 people had the virus. Today, that number is 900 suspected cases and 220 suspected deaths. |
| 1:39.9 | Uganda has just confirmed two new cases, taking it to seven there in 10 days. |
| 1:46.5 | And the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is coordinating the response to this. |
| 1:52.5 | It's based in Ethiopia, in Addis Ababa, and its Director General is Dr. Jean Kasea. |
| 2:00.0 | Now, he was there when Congo, Uganda and South Sudan announced a joint plan to tackle the outbreak just at the weekend, |
| 2:02.5 | and earlier he spoke to the BBC. |
| 2:07.0 | The word must even congratulate Africa CDC, |
| 2:11.5 | because on the 15th of May, Africa CDC declared this outbreak when we got evidence that more than one country was infected. |
| 2:17.4 | Second, we immediately started to interact with authorities who declared this outbreak the same day |
| 2:23.5 | and started to work on the plane. |
... |
Transcript will be available on the free plan in 19 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.