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Ebola Outbreak in Northeastern Congo Expands to 676 Cases and Crosses Into Uganda

WHO warns surveillance gaps and a shortage of isolation beds could mean the rare Bundibugyo strain is wider than detected and will require rapid scaling of testing, isolation and experimental countermeasures.

Red Cross workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) gather after handling the coffin of a man who died of Ebola virus, as aid agencies intensify efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus, in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, June 10, 2026. REUTERS/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere
A drone view of motorcyclists as they join an awareness campaign organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) to combat Ebola in Bunia, Congo, Wednesday, June 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)
Congolese medical workers dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE) handle bags at the Centre Medical Evangelique (CME) within the secured Ebola response zone, as aid agencies intensify efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain, in Hoho commune of Bunia town, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, June 9, 2026. REUTERS/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere
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Overview

  • WHO and DRC authorities reported on Friday that confirmed cases have risen to roughly 676 with 136 deaths and the outbreak is appearing in new health zones and in neighbouring Uganda.
  • The outbreak is driven by the rare Bundibugyo ebolavirus for which there is no licensed vaccine or strain-specific treatment, so control depends on fast detection, isolation, supportive care and trials of experimental drugs and vaccines.
  • WHO officials say there are many surveillance 'blind spots' and contact tracing remains below target, while isolation capacity is limited to about 250 beds across affected provinces, creating a major shortfall for expected needs.
  • Mistrust, misinformation and insecurity in Ituri and nearby provinces are delaying care-seeking, blocking contact tracing and provoking attacks on health sites, which responders say worsens under-detection and spread in displacement camps.
  • International response is scaling up with WHO and Africa CDC coordination and a multi-month funding appeal, but diplomatic tension has risen as some U.S. officials pressed for travel restrictions while WHO and other partners cautioned that blanket bans could disrupt the response.