WHO Warns DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Outpaces Response at 2,273 Cases as Uganda Starts 42-Day Countdown
Updated
Updated · UN News · Jul 16
WHO Warns DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Outpaces Response at 2,273 Cases as Uganda Starts 42-Day Countdown
3 articles · Updated · UN News · Jul 16
Summary
2,273 Ebola cases and 796 deaths have now been reported in DR Congo, where WHO said the two-month-old outbreak is expanding faster than the response despite a major scale-up.
More than 80% of new infections are being found outside known contact lists, and about two-thirds of deaths occur in communities, showing transmission chains are still being missed.
Ituri remains the main hotspot, with active conflict disrupting operations after an Ebola treatment centre in Bunia was attacked on Wednesday.
Response capacity has grown to more than 800 beds, 16 laboratories and nearly 80% contact follow-up, while 377 people have recovered with early diagnosis and care.
Uganda discharged its last confirmed patient and began the 42-day countdown to declare its outbreak over, but WHO says the regional plan still faces a funding gap of more than $400 million.
As Uganda defeats Ebola, why is the DRC's outbreak spiraling out of control just across the border?
With no vaccine and conflict blocking responders, is the DRC's fastest-ever Ebola outbreak now unstoppable?
2026 Bundibugyo Ebola Outbreak: Unprecedented Spread, Hidden Cases, and the Race to Contain a Regional Crisis
Overview
The 2026 Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, officially declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on May 15, has rapidly escalated with some of the highest daily infection numbers ever recorded. As of June 17, there were 896 confirmed cases and 232 deaths in the DRC, showing a worrying trend of sustained transmission. The World Health Organization warns that the real scale of the outbreak could be two to four times higher than reported, meaning many cases are going undetected. This hidden spread makes it much harder to control the outbreak and protect communities across the region.