Ebola Outbreak 2026: 1,048 Cases β Second Largest Ever | Virus Watcher
10 Active OutbreaksThe 2026 Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda is now the second largest Ebola outbreak on record. As of June 2026, there are 1,048 confirmed cases and 267 confirmed deaths. WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in May 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 β 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 β the highest global health alarm β 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
Live Ebola Global Case Map
4 countries with reported activity. Updated from real-time surveillance data.
United States β State Detail
1 state with reported activity. Click a state for detailed surveillance.
Active Outbreaks & Recent Cases
Real-time intelligence from global health monitoring and AI-powered surveillance
Data sources: BEACON, ProMED, WHO, CDC, and 50+ national health agencies
β Live data updated in real-time from global health sources
7 Americans Sent to Disputed Kenya Ebola Site After New Trump Travel Ban
Apoorva Mandavilli reported from New York and Matthew Mpoke Bigg reported from Nairobi.
Seven American aid workers are being quarantined at a recently built U.S. facility on an air base in Kenya, their employer said on Friday. They are the first Americans to be monitored at the site, and arrived at the facility even as the Trump administration announced a new Ebola-related travel ban this week.
The aid workers had been on the front lines of the fight against Ebola in the Democratic Republic of
π° 32 news sources reporting on this story.
Countries tighten travel rules as Ebola risk rises
The World Health Organization on May 17 declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and said there was a high risk it could spread to neighbouring countries.
The decision has prompted governments to step up travel-related containment measures. Here is a list of screening steps and travel restrictions announced by different countries and measures by airlines.
Travel bans/restrictions:
Canada
The Canadian government sai
π° 15 news sources reporting on this story.
Africa Region | Ebola (BVD) Epidemic - Operation update #2 (MDRS1007)
Over the last seven weeks following the declaration of the Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD) epidemic on 15 May 2026, the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains concerning, characterized by persistent community transmission, geographic transmission expansion, and escalating strain on response capabilities. As of 10 July 2026, the DRC recorded 1,873 confirmed cases and 672 fatalities, resulting in an overall case fatality ratio of 35.9%. Transmission has impacted 41 out of 14
π° 13 news sources reporting on this story.
New US Ebola patient arrives in Germany for treatment
Aid worker flown to Berlin as Trump administration bars Americans from traveling to US on commercial flights
A US national who contracted Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has arrived in Germany for treatment, the health ministry in Berlin said on Monday, weeks after another American infected with Ebola in the DRC was treated in Berlin.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration on Monday said it was blocking American citizens in β the DRC from traveling to the US on commercial flights, R
π° 181 news sources reporting on this story.
Confirmed Ebola cases top 2,000 in Congo, including 754 deaths
BUNIA: Confirmed cases of Ebola in Congo have reached 2,011, including 754 deaths, according to government data released overnight in what authorities say is the fastest-growing outbreak on record even as some health workers have gone on strike over payment issues.
A total of 753 people remain in isolation or in hospitals, while 366 have so far recovered, according to data from Congo's Ministry of Health.
Contact tracing remains a challenge, with coverage of those exposed still at 67%.
The Cen
π° 174 news sources reporting on this story.
WHO says it has less than half funding needed to fight Ebola By Reuters
GENEVA, July 14 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization has received less than half the funding it needs to fight the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a WHO official said on Tuesday, urging donors not to abandon the country at a critical stage of the epidemic.
The global health agency has received about 40% of its $115 million appeal to tackle the Bundibugyo outbreak, for which there is no proven treatment or vaccine. At least 1,926 people have been infected and 702 have
π° 19 news sources reporting on this story.
π Read more at Reuters
Viruses do not respect borders. An expert explains how the world should prepare for their outbreaks
Written by Virander Singh Chauhan
Recent episodes involving cases of ebola, hantavirus, and nipah virus show that dangerous zoonotic infections are no longer rare, isolated events. They are appearing with increasing regularity at the interface of humans, animals, forests, farms, hospitals, and global travel.
These outbreaks are not only scientific events; they also expose weaknesses in surveillance, public trust, vaccine access, and international preparedness.
While these viruses differ in eco
π° 13 news sources reporting on this story.
Second US citizen diagnosed with Ebola transferred to Germany for treatment: WHO - AOL
A second U.S. citizen was diagnosed with Ebola on Friday and subsequently transferred to Germany for treatment, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The individual, whose identity was not revealed, is a humanitarian worker and was admitted to Frankfurt University Hospital early on Monday.
"As infections among response personnel are not unexpected in an outbreak of this scale, protecting frontline responders must remain a top priority," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu
π° 25 news sources reporting on this story.
π Read more at Kurier
UK starts first vaccine trial, eight weeks into Ebola emergency
A new vaccine to tackle Ebola will now be tested on people after the UK regulator gave permission for trials to take place.
Scientists at the University of Oxford started developing the vaccine eight weeks ago when a public health emergency was declared on 17 May.
It is the first - out of four vaccines under development - to enter clinical trials.
Volunteers are being recruited, with the first doses expected to be given to healthy adults in the UK "within weeks".
The Ebola epidemic, centred o
π° 15 news sources reporting on this story.
Oxford's new Ebola vaccine enters first human trial: Serum Institute making over 6,20,000 doses
In a major milestone in the global response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Africa, a vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford has become the first vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus to enter Phase 1 clinical trials. The development comes just 57 days after the outbreak was declared.
Backed by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the vaccine candidate -- known as ChAdOx1 BDBV -- will be tested in 50 healthy adults aged 18 to 55 years i
π° 52 news sources reporting on this story.
π Read more at OCP News | As melhores notΓcias e histΓ³rias de Santa Catarina
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Global disease surveillance and guidelines from the World Health Organization
View WHO Resources βMedically Reviewed Content
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: 2026-07-18
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