WHO Declares Congo Ebola Emergency After 80 Deaths as Bundibugyo Strain Spreads to Uganda
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · May 17
WHO Declares Congo Ebola Emergency After 80 Deaths as Bundibugyo Strain Spreads to Uganda
15 articles · Updated · CBS New York · May 17
At least 80 deaths have been reported in eastern Congo's Ituri province, where WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern and health workers intensified screening and contact tracing.
Eight of 13 tested samples were confirmed as the Bundibugyo strain, with 246 suspected cases overall; Congo's health minister said the suspected index case was a nurse in Bunia whose illness dates to April 24.
Uganda confirmed an imported Ebola death in Kampala on May 14, then screened people at the affected hospital, while Kenya said it had raised border surveillance amid a moderate importation risk.
No approved vaccines or treatments exist for the Bundibugyo strain, and containment is complicated by conflict, population movement and weak logistics in Ituri, about 620 miles from Kinshasa.
With no approved vaccine, can health officials contain this new Ebola-like virus before it spreads further?
This outbreak went undetected for weeks. What systemic failures allowed this deadly virus to gain a foothold?
DRC’s 2026 Ebola Bundibugyo Outbreak: No Vaccine, Rising Deaths, and Cross-Border Spread
Overview
The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is driven by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare strain that poses unique challenges because there are no approved vaccines for it. In response, the World Health Organization declared an international public health emergency to raise alert levels in neighboring countries and mobilize global support. Most existing Ebola vaccines target the Zaire strain, which was responsible for previous deadly outbreaks, leaving the Bundibugyo outbreak harder to control. This situation highlights the urgent need for international coordination and new medical solutions to effectively combat the spread of the disease.