WHO 'deeply concerned' as Ebola outbreak rises in DRC and Uganda

There’s a LOT going on as researchers and public health experts race to respond to the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in DRC and Uganda before it grows bigger. Some really important questions still open, but also a few answers coming into view🧪 My overview in @science.org is here (and thread coming):

⚠️ This outbreak deserves a higher level of attention than the Hanta virus but it won't get it. Those affected now are poor communities living in remote parts of Africa. There is a direct correlation between the shutdown of USAID and the fact that the latest outbreak wasn't announced until Friday.

The death toll from an Ebola outbreak in central Africa rises sharply, with the head of the WHO expressing concern over the “scale and speed of the epidemic.”

KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - Congolese authorities say at least 131 deaths and 500 cases have been recorded in eastern Congo Ebola outbreak. @apnews.com

brilliant post by Anthony Costello about the necessity of community engagement and response to manage the latest Ebola outbreak thesocialvaccines.substack.com/p/how-to-sto...

An outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has almost certainly been spreading undetected for weeks or even months go.nature.com/4ur1Dce

⚠️ 🦠 The World Health Organization chief voiced concern on Tuesday about the "scale and speed" of an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo which has killed an estimated 131 people. ➡️ u.afp.com/SRuo

Nature has learnt that a WHO-sponsored clinical trial of two experimental treatments for Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease is in the works, pending approval by the governments of DRC and Uganda 🧪 #MedSky www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Rapid genomic data release and analysis from DRC and Uganda public health teams on Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak confirms new spillover: virological.org/t/initial-ge... - sequences shared via @pathoplexus.org

"WHO says Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda is ‘emergency’ of international concern" "The WHO made its declaration on Sunday after more than 80 deaths and 246 suspected cases linked to the outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, prompting Africa’s top health official to say he was “on panic mode”."

WHO Chief Is ‘Deeply Concerned’ by Speed and Scale of Ebola Outbreak. Warning comes shortly after Congo reported more than 130 suspected deaths and 513 cases, a sharp rise since the outbreak was first reported, by @yanzhuang.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/05/19/w... via @nytimes.com

WHO declares Public Health Emergency of International Concern for the Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda. Focus is on the rare Bundibugyo strain. Officials advise against travel bans, emphasizing instead the need for international medical support and resource mobilization.

My new post looks at the latest in the Ebola outbreak We didn't need another VHF outbreak right now - and this one is much worse - Why is Ebola both interesting and terrifying? - What makes this outbreak different? - What does the future likely hold?

The World Health Organization has officially declared the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Learn why this specific strain requires a shift in strategy and a renewed focus on the fundamentals of supportive care and early triage.

Cuts to aid have caused the outbreak to spread faster, by not being detected sooner. www.cnn.com/2026/05/17/a...