WHO declares Ebola epidemic in Congo, Uganda a public health emergency of global concern

In an official statement WHO noted that the outbreak constitutes a public health risk to other countries through international spread of disease ad mentioned that it has already been documented, with two confirmed cases reported in Kampala, Uganda on May 15 and May 16 following travel from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The WHO said that the neighbouring countries sharing land borders with the Democratic Republic of the Congo are considered at high risk for further spread due to population mobility, trade and travel linkages, and ongoing epidemiological uncertainty.

It called for international coordination and cooperation to understand the extent of the outbreak, to coordinate surveillance, prevention and response efforts, to scale up and strengthen operations and ensure the ability to implement control measures.

The statement noted that the Director-General of WHO will be convening an Emergency Committee, as soon as possible, to advise, inter alia, on the proposed temporary recommendation for States Parties to respond to the event.

The World Health Organisation urged to strengthen community awareness, engagement, and participation in particular to identify and address cultural norms and beliefs that serve as barriers to their full participation in the response, and integrate the response within the wider response required to address the needs of the population, particularly in contexts of the protracted humanitarian crisis in Eastern DRC.

The statement underlined that for countries which do not share a land border with the affected states, borders should not be closed, nor should any restriction be placed on travel and trade.

"No country should close its borders or place any restrictions on travel and trade. Such measures are usually implemented out of fear and have no basis in science. They push the movement of people and goods to informal border crossings that are not monitored, thus increasing the chances of the spread of disease. Most critically, these restrictions can also compromise local economies and negatively affect response operations from a security and logistics perspective", it said.

The statement noted that national authorities should work with airlines and other transport and tourism industries to ensure that they do not exceed the WHO's advice on international traffic.

It called on other countries that do not share a land border to provide travellers to Bundibugyo virus disease-affected and at-risk areas with relevant information on risks, measures to minimise those risks, and advice for managing a potential exposure.

The WHO highlighted the need for the general public to be provided with accurate and relevant information on the Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak and measures to reduce the risk of exposure, and said that State Parties should be prepared to facilitate the evacuation and repatriation of nationals (e.g. health workers) who have been exposed to Bundibugyo virus disease.

It noted that entry screening at airports or other ports of entry outside the affected region is not considered needed for passengers returning from areas at risk.

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The announcement comes after the World Health Organisation noted that as of 16 May 2026, eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths have been reported in Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo across at least three health zones, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu. In addition, two laboratory-confirmed cases (including one death) with no apparent link to each other have been reported in Kampala, Uganda, within 24 hours of each other, on 15 and 16 May 2026, among two individuals travelling from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On 16 May, a laboratory confirmed case was also reported in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, among someone returning from Ituri.

As per the WHO, unusual clusters of community deaths with symptoms compatible with Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) have been reported across several health zones in Ituri, and suspected cases have been reported across Ituri and North Kivu. In addition, at least four deaths among healthcare workers in a clinical context suggestive of viral haemorrhagic fever have been reported from the affected area, raising concerns regarding healthcare-associated transmission, gaps in infection prevention and control measures, and the potential for amplification within health facilities.

The statement noted that there are significant uncertainties to the true number of infected persons and geographic spread associated with this event at the present time and that there is limited understanding of the epidemiological links with known or suspected cases.

However, the high positivity rate of the initial samples collected (with eight positives among 13 samples collected in various areas), the confirmation of cases in both Kampala and Kinshasa, the increasing trends in syndromic reporting of suspected cases and clusters of deaths across the province of Ituri all point towards a potentially much larger outbreak than what is currently being detected and reported, with significant local and regional risk of spread. Moreover, the ongoing insecurity, humanitarian crisis, high population mobility, the urban or semi-urban nature of the current hotspot and the large network of informal healthcare facilities further compound the risk of spread, as was witnessed during the large Ebola virus disease epidemic in North Kivu and Ituri provinces in 2018-19. However, unlike for Ebola-zaire strains, there are currently no approved Bundibugyo virus-specific therapeutics or vaccines. As such, this event is considered extraordinary.

The WHO noted that the event requires international coordination and cooperation to understand the extent of the outbreak, to coordinate surveillance, prevention and response efforts, to scale up and strengthen operations and ensure the ability to implement control measures. (ANI)