Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo and cross-border spread to Uganda

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is currently managing a significant Ebola outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain, first declared on May 15. Official government reports state there are 598 confirmed cases and 115 deaths, while the World Health Organization reports 515 cases and 91 deaths in earlier data. The virus is concentrated across 17 health zones in Ituri, seven in North Kivu, and one in South Kivu, regions affected by long-standing armed conflict. Health authorities are struggling to contain the spread due to local resistance and attacks on medical personnel and burial teams. Simultaneously, the virus has crossed into Uganda, where 19 cases and two deaths have been confirmed. Among the cases in Uganda, 14 are individuals who arrived from the DRC, and five are Ugandan citizens. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visited Uganda to coordinate the response, praising the country's effective border screening and surveillance systems. The WHO has declared an international health emergency, noting that the public health risk in the DRC remains very high.