WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Congo, Uganda a global public health emergency

May 16, 2026 Updated Sat., May 16, 2026 at 6:45 p.m.

People at Bunia General Referral Hospital following confirmation of an Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 16, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS/Victoire Mukenge (Victoire Mukenge)

Reuters

The World Health Organization on Sunday declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a “public health emergency of international concern”.

The ⁠WHO said the outbreak, caused by ‌the Bundibugyo virus, does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency.

The U.N. health agency said in a ⁠statement that 80 suspected ‌deaths, eight ‌laboratory-confirmed cases and 246 suspected cases had been ⁠reported as of Saturday in DRC’s Ituri province across ‌at least three ‌health zones, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu.

The DRC health ⁠ministry had said on Friday that ⁠80 people had died in the new outbreak in the eastern province.

In Uganda’s capital, Kampala, ⁠two apparently unrelated laboratory-confirmed cases, including one death, were reported ⁠on Friday and Saturday, from people travelling from the DRC, the WHO said.

A laboratory-confirmed ⁠case was ‌also reported in the DRC ‌capital, Kinshasa, from a person returning from Ituri, the WHO said.

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WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Congo, Uganda a global public health emergency

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

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