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Ebola Outbreak in DRC and East Africa

Renewed Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo spreading toward Uganda, with strained WHO and international response

WHO chief visits Ebola epicenter in eastern Congo as cases surge past 900

Illustration accompanying article: WHO chief visits Ebola epicenter in eastern Congo as cases surge past 900
  • WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on May 30 visited Bunia, the epicenter of a rare Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo that has accelerated beyond the capacity of health responders.
  • The World Health Organization reported 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths since the outbreak began, with neighboring Uganda confirming nine cases and one death.
  • Tedros urged countries to reconsider travel bans and border closures, saying they "discourage transparency," and stressed the need for community trust and safe burials to prevent further spread.
  • The Democratic Republic of Congo has faced Ebola 16 times before and has ended every outbreak, Tedros said, expressing confidence that this 17th outbreak can also be controlled.
 3 MIN READ

Trump admin to send Ebola‑exposed Americans to Kenya treatment facility

Illustration accompanying article: Trump admin to send Ebola‑exposed Americans to Kenya treatment facility
  • The Trump administration plans to send Americans exposed to Ebola while abroad to a new treatment facility in Kenya instead of evacuating them to the United States.
  • The Departments of Defense, State and Health and Human Services will build the Kenya facility, which officials say can treat the full spectrum of Ebola.
  • Kenya’s health minister Aden Duale said any agreement will follow Kenyan laws, public‑health regulations, biosafety and biosecurity standards.
  • Public‑health expert Dr. Ali Khan warned that care in Kenya must match U.S. standards, while former Ebola survivor Dr. Craig Spencer called the plan a moral abdication of what the country owes its own citizens.
  • The CDC has expanded Ebola screening to additional U.S. airports, including Dulles, Atlanta, Houston and New York’s JFK, and has limited travel from the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan.
 3 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: Ugandans bristle at name “Bundibugyo” tied to rare Ebola type

WHO declares Congo and Uganda Ebola outbreak a global health emergency

2026-05-16

The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern for an Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda, warning the response needs urgent scale-up. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention first confirmed the outbreak in Congo’s Ituri province on Friday and said by Saturday there were 336 suspected cases and 88 deaths.

WHO declares Congo, Uganda Ebola outbreak public health emergency

2026-05-16

The World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in Congo and neighboring Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, after more than 300 suspected cases and 88 deaths were reported. WHO said a laboratory-confirmed case has also been detected in Kinshasa, suggesting wider spread, and warned against closing international borders.