Ebola Outbreak 2026: WHO Emergency, 836 Cases in DRC & Uganda — No Vaccine
10 Active OutbreaksA major Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain is underway in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17, 2026. The Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine and no specific treatment, making this one of the most dangerous active outbreaks in years.
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What is Ebola?
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is caused by several strains of the Ebola virus. The current 2026 outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain — distinct from the Zaire strain that ERVEBO vaccine protects against, meaning there is NO approved vaccine for this outbreak. As of May 2026, 836 suspected cases and 186 deaths have been reported across 11 health zones in DRC's Ituri and Nord-Kivu provinces, with cases crossing into Uganda (Kampala). WHO has declared this a PHEIC — the highest global health alarm — and the CDC has issued entry restrictions for travelers from affected countries.
Symptoms
- Sudden fever and severe fatigue
- Muscle and joint pain
- Severe headache
- Sore throat
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Stomach pain
- Unexplained bleeding or bruising
- Rash
Transmission
Direct contact with blood or body fluids of infected people/animals; contaminated objects; infected bushmeat. Not airborne. Only contagious when symptomatic.
Contagious Period: From symptom onset until virus is no longer in blood/body fluids; can persist in semen up to 12 months
Prevention
- ERVEBO vaccine for outbreak response and high-risk individuals
- Avoid contact with blood and body fluids
- Don't handle items touched by infected person
- Avoid funeral/burial rituals involving contact with deceased
- Avoid bushmeat in outbreak areas
- Healthcare workers: strict PPE and infection control
- Isolate suspected/confirmed cases
- Contact tracing and monitoring
- Safe burial practices
Active Outbreaks & Recent Cases
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Data sources: BEACON, ProMED, WHO, CDC, and 50+ national health agencies
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Only the Right Tests Can Stop This Ebola Outbreak. Congo Has Hardly Any.
Stephanie Nolen reports on global health, including infectious disease outbreaks.
Months ago, doctors in Ituri Province in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo started seeing patients with the vomiting, diarrhea and bleeding that are the hallmarks of Ebola. The tests kept coming back negative.
It was weeks before samples from sick people -- many of whom had already died -- made it to the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the capital, Kinshasa. There, researchers used a different
📰 722 news sources reporting on this story.
Ebola alert: FG tightens airport, border screening
The Federal Government has intensified health screening at the country's airports, seaports and land borders.
It also announced that travellers identified as high-risk or displaying symptoms associated with Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic fevers will be subjected to secondary screening, isolation and referral procedures.
The move comes amid growing concerns over the ongoing outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease in parts of East and Central Africa and forms part of a broade
📰 13 news sources reporting on this story.
EAC to hold emergency health ministers' meeting over Ebola outbreak
DAR ES SALAAM, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The East African Community (EAC) will convene an extraordinary virtual meeting of health ministers from June 1 to 2 to coordinate a regional response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak affecting parts of East Africa, the regional bloc said in a statement on Sunday.
The meeting will focus on strategies to contain the outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no licensed vaccine or specific treatment, according to th
📰 11 news sources reporting on this story.
Reps call for immediate funding for NCDC amid rising Ebola threat
The House of Representatives has called on the federal government to urgently release adequate funds to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to strengthen the country's preparedness against the growing threat of Ebola Virus Disease following a recent outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Amobi Ogah, who raised concerns over the outbreak of a rare strain of Ebola in the Turi Province of the D
📰 17 news sources reporting on this story.
Inside the Ebola Outbreak
A Times correspondent is reporting from the Ebola epicenter in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Here's what he saw.
Ebola has haunted the world for decades, but no country has suffered more outbreaks than the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is in the middle of its latest one. There have been 17 Ebola outbreaks there since it was first discovered in the 1970s (and named after a river in the north of the country). But this is one of the deadliest, in part because it was caught late.
My colle
📰 69 news sources reporting on this story.
Nations Step Up Border Checks As Ebola Outbreak Triggers Global Health Concerns
Countries around the world are strengthening travel restrictions, airport screenings and border health checks as concerns grow over the latest Ebola outbreak in Central Africa.
Governments across multiple continents are ramping up health surveillance and tightening travel protocols as concerns mount over the worsening Ebola outbreak in parts of Central Africa. From enhanced airport screenings to stricter entry requirements, countries are adopting precautionary measures aimed at preventing cross-
📰 14 news sources reporting on this story.
There should be no mass gathering without a hand-washing station - Health Minister
The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has called for stricter public health measures across the country, directing that all mass gatherings should have hand-washing facilities as part of efforts to strengthen Ghana's preparedness against Ebola.
The directive follows a comprehensive inspection tour of key national response facilities, including the Accra International Airport (AIA) Port Health Unit, the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, and the Ga East Infectious Disease
All the vaccines and treatments currently in development for Ebola
Global health authorities are urgently seeking medical solutions to combat an Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
Unlike the more common Zaire strain, for which approved vaccines and treatments exist, there are currently no specific medical interventions for Bundibugyo.
The current outbreak is believed to have caused about 906 cases and 223 suspected deaths in the DRC, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) warning that the
📰 12 news sources reporting on this story.
Three Ebola vaccines in development amid growing outbreak fears
Three new vaccines are being developed to tackle the rare species of Ebola that has already killed nearly 250 people.
The International Aids Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), which is working on one vaccine, said the outbreak was threatening to be the worst ever.
The University of Oxford and the pharma company Moderna are also researching vaccines against the Bundibugyo species.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which is providing funding to each group, said "every day counts".
Th
📰 121 news sources reporting on this story.
Suspected Ebola case in Cagliari: patient in hospital
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Protocols were triggered for a suspected case of Ebola in Cagliari, Sardinia. A person was taken to the Santissima Trinità Hospital's infectious diseases unit after being picked up from home, as they were displaying symptoms compatible with the virus.
Police, the fire brigade and local police arrived on the scene, while doctors and nurses wearing protective suits and masks went into the flat and took charge of the patient, w
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Disease information on Virus Watcher is reviewed by our Chief Epidemiologist, a former CDC lead analyst for FluSight forecasting. Outbreak data is aggregated from verified sources including BEACON, ProMED, WHO, CDC, and 50+ national health agencies. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-03
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