WHO Cuts DRC Suspected Ebola Cases to 116 as 330 Total Cases Are Confirmed
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jun 2
WHO Cuts DRC Suspected Ebola Cases to 116 as 330 Total Cases Are Confirmed
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Jun 2
116 suspected Ebola cases were listed in Democratic Republic of Congo as of May 31, down from 906 late last week after many were reclassified as other illnesses or unlinked fevers.
330 total confirmed cases were reported across the outbreak, with 321 in DRC and nine in Uganda; deaths stood at 48 in DRC and one in Uganda.
Front-line medics said the lower suspected count does not ease core problems: contact tracers are reaching only about a quarter of exposed people, some residents still deny Ebola exists, and 20% of new positives are healthcare workers.
Five infected nurses have recovered and were declared Ebola-free, reinforcing WHO's message that early testing and treatment can improve survival even as responders warn the outbreak may take more than six months to control.
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2026 Bundibugyo Ebola Crisis: Rapid Spread, 30–50% Fatality Rate, and Gaps in Vaccine Protection
Overview
On June 2, 2026, the WHO Director-General declared the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The outbreak's epicenter is in eastern DRC, but the disease has already crossed borders, with Uganda confirming imported cases. Notably, two cases in Kampala are not linked, suggesting separate transmission chains from the DRC. This highlights the outbreak's severity and its potential for international spread, making rapid response and cross-border coordination essential to contain further transmission.