DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Tops 850 Suspected Cases as MSF Warns Airspace Closures Hamper Aid
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 24
DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Tops 850 Suspected Cases as MSF Warns Airspace Closures Hamper Aid
7 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 24
More than 850 suspected Ebola cases and over 200 suspected deaths in DR Congo are straining the response, with MSF's Kate White warning the outbreak poses "massive" operational challenges.
Airspace closures are slowing the delivery of healthcare workers, protective gear and other supplies, White said, even as the volume of resources needed in affected areas keeps rising.
The outbreak is harder to contain because it involves a rare Ebola species with no approved vaccine or targeted drug treatment, and WHO has said it may be spreading faster than first thought.
Conflict at the epicentre and delayed detection have left responders without a clear picture of transmission chains, while weak testing capacity risks keeping non-Ebola patients in treatment centres longer than necessary.
Three Red Cross volunteers who handled bodies were among the first known victims, underscoring the danger to frontline workers as aid groups race to reinforce protective measures.
Have recent cuts in global health funding made a controllable Ebola outbreak an international emergency?
Why are we fighting this new Ebola outbreak with no approved vaccines or targeted drugs?
Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak 2026: Escalating Crisis in DRC and Uganda Amid Vaccine Shortage and Conflict
Overview
As of May 23, 2026, the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus is a major health crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. The World Health Organization rates the risk as very high for DRC and high for Uganda. The outbreak likely started a few months ago, with Uganda reporting two confirmed cases linked to the DRC, but no further spread in Uganda so far. There are no approved vaccines or treatments for this virus strain, making control efforts challenging. Global health authorities are responding urgently to contain the outbreak and prevent wider spread.