WHO Urges DRC Communities to Help Contain 906 Suspected Ebola Cases
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 31
WHO Urges DRC Communities to Help Contain 906 Suspected Ebola Cases
17 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 31
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told residents in Bunia that stopping Ebola is “everybody’s business,” urging people with symptoms to seek care early as WHO opened a treatment centre in Ituri.
906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths have been recorded in the DRC, while Uganda has confirmed nine cases and one death from the same Bundibugyo strain, which has no vaccine.
Three attacks on health centres and resistance to body-handling rules tied to local burial rites have disrupted the response, while fighting among armed groups in Ituri prompted Tedros to call for a ceasefire.
Five patients have recovered and four were due for discharge on Sunday, but MSF said the outbreak is spreading faster than the response and that hundreds of samples remain untested.
Brazil is monitoring two possible Ebola cases, and the WHO-declared global health emergency has drawn more aid, including $80 million in new US funding on top of a $112 million total commitment.
With trust broken and violence rising, can medical aid alone stop this Ebola outbreak?
Can scientists fast-track a new vaccine before this rare Ebola strain spreads further globally?
Are travel bans a vital shield against Ebola or a critical barrier to life-saving aid?
Over 1,000 Bundibugyo Ebola Cases in DRC and Uganda: International Alarm and Response Amid Conflict and Health System Strain
Overview
As of May 29, 2026, the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has rapidly worsened, with suspected cases surpassing 1,000 and triggering a strong international response. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, following international health regulations and consultations with affected countries. While the outbreak is severe, it does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control considers the risk to EU/EEA residents very low, but global health authorities remain on high alert and are closely monitoring the situation.