health
WHO declares international emergency due to Ebola outbreak in Africa after increase in cases in Congo and Uganda
Portafolio Journalist 05/17/2026 09:47 Updated: 05/17/2026 09:47
TL;DR
- The WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern for a rare Ebola variant outbreak in the DRC and Uganda.
- The Bundibugyo variant is particularly concerning as there is no specific vaccine for it.
- The outbreak is spreading in regions with difficult access and security issues, complicating response efforts.
- As of May 16, there were eight confirmed and 246 suspected cases in the DRC, with at least 80 suspected deaths.
- One case and one death were confirmed in Uganda, linked to a traveler from the DRC.
- Security problems and intense population movement in the affected areas increase the risk of further spread.
- Recent vaccines and treatments for Ebola are not effective against this specific variant.
- The DRC has faced multiple Ebola outbreaks since the disease was identified in 1976.