WHO Warns 708-Case DRC-Uganda Ebola Outbreak Is Outpacing Response
Updated
Updated · STAT · Jun 13
WHO Warns 708-Case DRC-Uganda Ebola Outbreak Is Outpacing Response
1 articles · Updated · STAT · Jun 13
Summary
708 confirmed Ebola cases and 141 deaths in the DRC and Uganda have left WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus "really worried" after his second visit to the outbreak zone.
28.4% of known contacts were followed up on June 11, far below what is needed to contain the virus, as Tedros said mistrust, displacement and hidden cases mean "the virus is ahead of us."
Northeastern DRC remains the main concern: WHO staff have faced death threats, communities call Ebola a hoax or a foreign money-making scheme, and many residents see conflict, hunger and malaria as bigger killers.
Uganda's outbreak appears more contained, with 19 confirmed cases and two deaths, but Tedros said lasting control in the DRC will require more than Ebola aid, including peace, food support and stronger health services.
With no vaccine or rapid test for this Ebola strain, is a wider international crisis inevitable?
In a land of conflict and mistrust, how can health workers fight an epidemic they cannot even track?
2026 Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa: Status, Risks, and Response Strategies
Overview
The ongoing Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, remains a major health threat in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda as of June 12, 2026. This crisis demands strong international coordination to understand the outbreak’s true scale, align surveillance and response, and implement effective control measures. Recent progress includes eight new recoveries, raising the total to 30, and the launch of treatment centers in Bunia and Rwampara. However, the situation is complicated by the need for better cooperation and scaled-up operations to fully contain the disease and support affected communities.