An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda is now a public health emergency of international concern, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The outbreak is confirmed to be the Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus, which has a case-fatality rate of 25% to 50%. No vaccine or therapeutics target this strain.
At least 100 deaths have been reported, with more than 390 cases suspected, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention told the BBC today. But the true case count is likely higher.
Reuters reports that the first known Ebola patient died April 24 and that the outbreak wasn’t declared until May 15 because initial lab testing used cartridges for the wrong Ebola strain. The three-week gap likely allowed the virus to spread unchecked, especially in open-casket funeral processions common in the affected part of the DRC.
“Unusual clusters of community deaths with symptoms compatible with Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) have been reported across several health zones in Ituri,” the WHO said. “At least four deaths among healthcare workers in a clinical context suggestive of viral haemorrhagic fever have been reported from the affected area raising concerns regarding healthcare-associated transmission, gaps in infection prevention and control measures, and the potential for amplification within health facilities.”
(On May 18, 2026), the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the use of a Title 42 order banning all non-US citizens from entering the country for the next 30 days if they have been in the DRC, South Sudan, or Uganda in the previous three weeks. The CDC also placed travel to the DRC under a Level Four travel advisory.
Yesterday, the CDC told the media it was working to extradite a small number of Americans who are “directly affected” by the outbreak, but no further details were given. Today, CDC officials said an American doctor who was working in DRC has tested positive for Ebola and is being evacuated to Germany for treatment.
Satish K. Pillai, PhD, an incident manager for the CDC’s Ebola response team, said the doctor developed symptoms over the weekend, and six other Americans are in the process of being evacuated.
News sites published the name of the doctor, Peter Stafford, MD, after the Christian mission he worked for confirmed his illness. Stafford was treating patients at Nyankunde Hospital, in the Congo city of Bunia.
Travelers to the region should avoid contact with sick people, report symptoms immediately, and follow our travel guidance.
“To the American public, the risk to the United States remains low,” said Pillai. “Travelers to the region should avoid contact with sick people, report symptoms immediately, and follow our travel guidance.”
