WHO Says DRC Ebola Cases Hit 344 as Contact Tracing Stalls at 45%
Updated
Updated · World Health Organization (WHO) · Jun 3
WHO Says DRC Ebola Cases Hit 344 as Contact Tracing Stalls at 45%
3 articles · Updated · World Health Organization (WHO) · Jun 3
Summary
344 confirmed Ebola cases and 60 deaths have been recorded in DRC across 24 health zones in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, while Uganda has reported 15 cases and one death.
116 suspected cases remain in DRC, down from more than 1,000 last week, as authorities clear a testing backlog and expand treatment capacity to three Bunia centres with 80 beds.
45% of contacts in DRC are being followed up—well below the 90% target—while insecurity, displacement and mobile populations continue to hamper tracing and faster containment.
WHO is also tracking cross-border exposure after one infected Congolese resident traveled via the UAE to Uganda; a U.S. citizen infected in DRC is still being treated in Germany.
WHO kept its risk assessment at very high nationally, high regionally and low globally, urging countries to lift blanket travel restrictions and stressing that trust and local leadership—not vaccines alone—will decide how quickly the outbreak ends.
With no approved vaccine, can fast-tracked candidates arrive in time to contain this rare and deadly Ebola strain?
In a warzone with 120 armed groups, how can health workers fight Ebola when they themselves are targets?
Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak 2026: Escalating Crisis in DRC, Global Risks, and the Critical Role of Community Engagement
Overview
As of June 2, 2026, the global public health response is focused on containing a worsening crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the World Health Organization is scaling up and decentralizing laboratory and diagnostic services to key locations. This aims to reduce delays in confirming cases and enable faster response decisions. At the same time, WHO is working to strengthen surveillance and health services in neighboring regions to prevent wider disease spread. These efforts are crucial as the risk of outbreaks coincides with major international events, requiring heightened vigilance to protect both local and global communities.