Ebola Spreads in Congo and Uganda as Aid Cuts and 100 Armed Groups Hobble Response
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 9
Ebola Spreads in Congo and Uganda as Aid Cuts and 100 Armed Groups Hobble Response
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 9
Summary
363 cases in Congo and 16 in Uganda have turned the current Ebola outbreak into a fast-worsening regional threat after the virus circulated for months before detection in May.
The Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or treatment, and responders say delayed detection, weaker surveillance and reduced U.S. backing have left clinics and labs slow to mobilize.
Over 100 armed groups now operate in eastern Congo, while Goma's airport has been shut since January 2025 and nearly 1 million displaced people live in outbreak-hit Ituri province.
U.S.A.I.D. funding for Congo fell to $84 million this year from $545 million in 2024, part of a broader pullback that has forced aid groups to cut operations and left health facilities short of supplies.
Past Ebola crises were contained only after massive international deployments, and this outbreak could become the worst on record unless donors quickly assemble hundreds of millions of dollars for clinics, tracing and safe burials.
With global health agencies dismantled, what is the new frontline in the war against Ebola?
Can experimental vaccines be deployed in a conflict zone fast enough to stop this new Ebola outbreak?
Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak 2026: Aid Shortfalls, Treatment Gaps, and the Global Health Security Challenge
Overview
In 2026, a major public health crisis unfolded as Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a form of Ebola, spread across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, posed unique challenges for global health due to the lack of approved treatments. This made patient care more difficult and increased the risk of severe outcomes. While international efforts are underway to develop new therapies and clinical trials, the absence of effective medicines highlights the urgent need for innovation and preparedness in tackling emerging infectious diseases.