Africa CDC Declares DR Congo Ebola Emergency as Death Toll Reaches 131
Updated
Updated · FRANCE 24 English · May 19
Africa CDC Declares DR Congo Ebola Emergency as Death Toll Reaches 131
15 articles · Updated · FRANCE 24 English · May 19
At least 131 people have died in DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak, with 513 suspected cases, as Africa CDC activated its highest continental alert to unlock emergency teams and surveillance.
The agency cited a high risk of regional spread from cross-border mining traffic, insecurity, weak infection controls and the outbreak’s proximity to Rwanda and South Sudan.
WHO convened an emergency committee after chief Tedros declared a public health emergency of international concern, warning the epidemic’s scale and speed could make it a lengthy outbreak.
The virus has already spread beyond Ituri into North Kivu and Goma and crossed into Uganda, while no vaccine or treatment exists for the Bundibugyo strain.
U.S. authorities issued Level 4 do-not-travel advisories for DR Congo, South Sudan and Uganda, and Germany is preparing to treat an infected American evacuated from Congo.
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Ebola Outbreak 2026: Bundibugyo Strain Exposes Gaps in Global Health Preparedness and Vaccine Access
Overview
The 2026 Ebola outbreak is driven by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which is especially hard to contain because there are no field tests or targeted vaccines and treatments. This makes the containment process more complex and increases the risk of the outbreak spreading further. As a result, countries in the region and beyond are adopting strict precautionary measures, such as Rwanda tightening border screenings with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The lack of medical tools and the virus’s challenging nature highlight the urgent need for coordinated global action and stronger public health responses to prevent wider impact.