In response to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s criticism regarding the World Health Organization’s (WHO) handling of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), WHO officials defended their actions during a press briefing. They emphasized that their primary role is to support national health agencies rather than replace them. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's director-general, noted that Rubio's comments might stem from a misunderstanding of the International Health Regulations, which delineate responsibilities during health emergencies. The current outbreak has nearly 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths, indicating that the virus has been spreading for months. The outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has only caused a few previous outbreaks, complicating initial detection efforts. WHO officials pointed out that the remote location of the outbreak, coupled with ongoing conflict in the region, has further hindered effective surveillance and response. They acknowledged that recognizing early symptoms of Ebola can be challenging due to their similarity to other common infections in the area.