WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak in DRC and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern
The World Health Organization has formally declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the agency’s highest level of alert for a disease event that requires coordinated global action.
The determination, made by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on May 17, 2026, follows consultation with the governments of both countries. It does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency, the WHO emphasized.
As of May 16, health authorities had recorded eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases, and 80 suspected deaths in Ituri Province in eastern DRC, spread across at least three health zones including Bunia, Rwampara, and Mongbwalu.
Two additional confirmed cases – one fatal – were reported in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, on May 15 and 16 among individuals who had traveled from the DRC. A suspected case in Kinshasa tested negative on confirmatory testing.The WHO cited three main reasons for the declaration.
First, the event is considered extraordinary due to unusual clusters of community deaths, healthcare worker infections, high positivity rates in early samples, and uncertainties about the true scale and spread of the outbreak.
Second, international transmission has already occurred via travelers to Uganda. Third, the situation demands coordinated international support for surveillance, contact tracing, infection control, and response efforts, especially given the region’s ongoing insecurity, humanitarian challenges, high population mobility, and the urban setting of some hotspots.
Notably, the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola has no approved vaccines or specific therapeutics, unlike the more common Zaire strain. The outbreak also raises concerns about gaps in infection prevention in health facilities. The WHO expressed gratitude to the leadership of the DRC and Uganda for their transparency and commitment to rapid control measures.
In detailed advice issued alongside the declaration, the WHO called on the affected countries to activate emergency operations centers, strengthen community engagement, expand laboratory testing, improve infection control in hospitals, establish safe treatment pathways, and ensure safe and dignified burials. Neighboring countries with land borders were urged to enhance preparedness, including active surveillance and rapid response teams.
For all other nations, the WHO explicitly advised against border closures or travel restrictions, stating such measures lack scientific basis and could worsen the situation by driving movement underground.
The declaration triggers the convening of an Emergency Committee to provide further recommendations. This marks the first PHEIC for an Ebola outbreak since the 2018 – 2020 epidemic in eastern DRC.
