The Ebola outbreak in DR Congo and Uganda has reached nearly 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). ALSO READ: Ebola deaths surpass 130: How the virus spreads So far, 33 Ebola cases have been confirmed in the DR Congo, in the northern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, including in the cities of Bunia and Goma, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday, May 20. He added that the scale of the epidemic in DR Congo is much larger. ALSO READ: Rwanda on alert as Ebola outbreak is declared global emergency Uganda confirmed two Ebola cases in Kampala, including one death, involving travellers from DR Congo. An American national who had been working in DR Congo also tested positive and was transferred to Germany. “The suspected cases and deaths are expected to keep increasing, given the amount of time the virus was circulating before the outbreak was detected,” Ghebreyesus said. The WHO chief said insecurity in Ituri province is another challenge facing the response. “The province of Ituri is highly insecure. Conflict has intensified since late 2025, and fighting has escalated over the past two months, with over 100,000 people newly displaced,” he said. He noted that the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or therapeutics. 'Not a pandemic' The official said WHO’s Emergency Committee agreed that the outbreak remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The Ebola outbreak was declared a PHEIC on May 18, the first time a WHO Director General had made such a decision without convening an Emergency Committee. “After declaring the PHEIC, I immediately convened an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR), which met yesterday and agreed that the situation is a public health emergency of international concern, but is not a pandemic emergency,” he said. ALSO READ: What does the declaration of Ebola as a global health emergency mean? He explained that he declared the emergency before convening the committee because of the urgency of the situation. “I took this step in accordance with Article 12 of the International Health Regulations, after consulting the Ministers of Health of DR Congo and Uganda, and in view of the need for urgent action. In light of all these risks, I decided it was urgent to act immediately to prevent more deaths and mobilise an effective and international response.” The WHO assesses the current outbreak as high risk at the national and regional levels, but low risk globally. The organization has deployed personnel, supplies, equipment and emergency funding to support affected countries. “To support our response, I have approved an additional $3.4 million from the Contingency Fund for Emergencies, bringing the total to $3.9 million,” Ghebreyesus said. Regional response Authorities in DR Congo have deployed rapid response teams to Rwampara and Mongbwalu Health Zones in Ituri, held provincial emergency coordination meetings, and established isolation facilities for confirmed cases. Surveillance has been reinforced at points of entry, and community engagement and social mobilisation efforts are ongoing. DR Congo and Uganda are receiving technical support from WHO, which has provided case management protocols, infection prevention supplies, rapid response teams, and assistance in cross-border coordination. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has stepped up regional coordination, alerting African nations to the risk of wider spread due to Ituri’s commercial and migratory connectivity. A high-level consultative meeting on May 16 brought together more than 130 participants, including affected and at-risk countries, donor partners, United Nations agencies, humanitarian organizations, and pharmaceutical companies. The meeting recommended immediate activation of the continental Incident Management Support Team to oversee surveillance, laboratory testing, case management, logistics, risk communication, community engagement, and cross-border operations. Rwanda, which shares a border with DR Congo, has strengthened surveillance, entry-point screening, and rapid response readiness, though no cases have been reported.
