Characteristics and Monitoring of the 2026 #Outbreak of #Ebola Disease Caused by #Bundibugyo Virus — #DRC, August 2026 (MMWR, edited)

 

Summary

    ° What is already known about this topic?

        § In May 2026, an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus was identified in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

    ° What is added by this report?

        § This ongoing outbreak is now the second largest Ebola outbreak in history. The targets for five critical public health response indicators (case detection alerts, contact tracing, laboratory testing, isolation of infected persons, and safe and dignified burials) have not yet been met, and the outbreak continues to expand rapidly.

    ° What are the implications for public health practice?

        § Substantial improvements in established outbreak control measures are crucial to rapidly detect and diagnose cases and isolate and provide treatment for infected persons, prevent funeral-associated transmission to prevent additional spread, and control this rapidly expanding outbreak.

    The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Ministry of Public Health declared an Ebola outbreak on May 15, 2026. Two days later, CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center as part of the U.S. government response to this rapidly growing outbreak. This report describes the epidemiologic characteristics and monitoring of the ongoing outbreak in DRC.

Investigation and Outcomes

Background

    The 2026 Ebola DRC outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus is now the second largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded. As of August 21, 2026, DRC reported 5,458 confirmed cases and 2,606 (48%) confirmed deaths. 

    Compared with previous Ebola outbreaks, the increase in cases in DRC is unprecedented, with approximately 5,000 cases in 100 days (Ebola Outbreak: Current Situation | CDC). 

    Cases have been reported from six of the 26 DRC provinces (Bas-Uélé, Haut-Uélé, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tshop), affecting 57 of 151 health zones in the affected provinces. 

    Ituri province remains the outbreak epicenter, accounting for 84% of reported cases. 

    Strategies known to control Ebola outbreaks include community-based surveillance, case detection alert notifications,* rapid and in-depth case investigations, identification and monitoring of contacts, infection control measures (e.g., prompt isolation of persons with suspected or confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease [BVD]), rapid diagnostic testing, mortality surveillance, and safe and dignified burials (SDBs).†

Data Source

    Operational indicators for five domains have been generated based on experience with previous Ebola outbreaks, including DRC’s 2018 outbreak. Targets reflect the levels necessary to end the outbreak. 

    The DRC Ministry of Public Health prepares publicly available daily situation reports, and CDC abstracts data from these reports to evaluate the established indicators each day. Indicator data are monitored over time to assess the outbreak trajectory. This activity was reviewed by CDC, deemed not research, and conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.§

Operational Indicator Analysis

    Nearly all operational indicators remain below identified targets (...). 

    Operational indicator values were calculated for the 21-day period of July 31–August 21. 

    The average percentage of alerts investigated within 24 hours (last reported August 5, 2026) was 83% (target = >90%). 

    An average of 10.6 contacts were identified per confirmed case (target = ≥20), suggesting underreporting and underascertainment of case contacts. 

    The percentage of confirmed new cases previously identified as known contacts (last reported July 12, 2026) was 15%–20% (target = >90%); this suggests that most cases are occurring outside known transmission chains. 

    In addition, more than one half (59%) of confirmed Ebola deaths are occurring outside an Ebola treatment unit (ETU) (target = 0%), suggesting insufficient ETU capacity, fear of ETUs, and ongoing spread through unidentified transmission chains. 

    Laboratory testing was performed for 72% of validated alerts (target = >90%), indicating that a substantial number of suspected cases remain untested. 

    Test positivity was 24%, with a target of 0%. 

    Although the national ETU bed occupancy was 64%, meeting the target of <80%, occupancy varied substantially by health zone, with some facilities unable to isolate all infected persons and reporting occupancies as high as 140%. 

    Fewer than one half (49%) of affected health zones had at least one SDB team (target = 100%). 

    Current data were not available for several response indicators, such as percentage of persons with confirmed BVD receiving prompt isolation (target = >90%) and percentage of deaths with SDBs (target = 100%), underscoring ongoing data gaps in this complex public health response.

Preliminary Conclusions and Actions

    As of August 21, 2026, most operational indicator measures remained below established response targets, and data for others were unavailable, indicating gaps in surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, health care–seeking, isolation, and SDB capacity that limit control of the ongoing outbreak. 

    These missing data and operational gaps, together with continued geographic expansion of the outbreak, a high percentage of deaths occurring outside ETUs, and a low percentage of cases among persons previously identified as contacts, indicate uncontrolled expansion of the outbreak. 

    Public health response activities are complicated by a protracted complex humanitarian emergency in the eastern part of DRC, including armed conflict, limited health infrastructure, population displacement and mobility, and constraints on access to affected communities.

    Containment and control of the 2026 Ebola disease outbreak requires integration and coordination of at least five response areas: 

    1) expansion of community-based surveillance systems ensuring rapid investigation of alerts; 

    2) improvements in contact tracing completeness and timeliness; 

    3) expansion of treatment and isolation capacity in affected health zones; 

    4) increased laboratory testing capacity, enabling prompt case identification; and 

    5) ensuring SDBs in affected health zones.

    

    In addition, collecting robust, high-quality data regarding these operational actions is essential at the health zone level; CDC’s continued support to the DRC Ministry of Public Health and partners with improving data collection is critical. 

    Collecting data at the level of the health zone facilitates timely local outbreak response decisions. 

    Rapidly enhancing international humanitarian coordination and mobilizing global technical, operational, and other needed support are critical for accelerating the response and controlling the outbreak.

CDC 2026 Ebola Response International Epidemiology and Laboratory Task Force

Christine Atherstone, Amy Boore, Vance Brown, Jonathan Bryant-Genevier, Nirma Bustamante, Maestro Evans, James Fuller, Timothee Kinkela, John D. Klena, Thomas C. McHale, Elissa Meites, Emmanuel A. Mensah, Mpingulu Minlangu, Pierre Muhoza, Mike Park, Jaymin Patel, Satish K. Pillai, Anne Purfield, Logan Ray, Jessica N. Ricaldi, Katrin S. Sadigh, Dean Sayre, Trevor Shoemaker, Rachel Snyder, Christina Spiropoulou, Leisel Talley, Alison Todres, Sebastien Tshipamba, Amy Whitesell, Hailey Whitmire, Kristina Wielgosz, Emily Zielinski-Gutierrez, CDC; Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ministry of Public Health.

Corresponding author: Sascha Ellington, frk5@cdc.gov.

Source: 

Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7535e1

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#Bundibugyo at the #Border: The 2026 #Ebola #Outbreak and the Case for Pre-emptive #Countermeasure #Equity

 

Abstract

The 2026 Ebola outbreak caused by Bundibugyo ebolavirus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda exposes a persistent structural flaw in global health security: preparedness remains overwhelmingly reactive and pathogen-specific. Despite the $518 million Africa CDC-WHO joint continental plan, no licensed BDBV vaccine or therapeutic is available; a 21-day (three-week) detection delay and cross-border transmission expose inadequate inter-epidemic investment in non-Zaire ebolavirus countermeasures. We argue for sustained, ring-fenced financing, institutionalised cross-border coordination, species-inclusive diagnostics, and real-time genomic data sharing to move African Ebola preparedness from reactive to pre-emptive.

Source: 

Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1477893926000682?via%3Dihub

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#Ebola is #winning: #Epidemic now killing one person every 30 minutes (UN News Centre, August 15 '26)

 

“Ebola is winning in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” UN humanitarian affairs chief Tom Fletcher said. “We cannot let the virus outrun our response.” 

    Alongside the startling current fatality rate, Mr. Fletcher announced on Friday that he has allocated an additional $30.5 million from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) – building on the $24 million previously allocated to the DRC and its neighbors to tackle the outbreak.

    The UN’s humanitarian office (OCHA) recently deployed a further 20 staff to the epicentre of the outbreak, but Mr. Fletcher said more may be needed to slow the spread. 

    Declared on 15 May by national authorities in the DRC, the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak has now killed 2,184 people – nearly 47 per cent of those who have been infected. 

    Six of the DRC’s 26 provinces have recorded Ebola cases, and Uganda has reported 20 cases. 

    “This is a wake-up call,” Mr. Fletcher said.” We need speed, scale and solidarity before this virus gets even further ahead of us.” 

WFP expands food assistance 

    Starting tomorrow, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) will bring its hot meal programme to additional Ebola treatment centres in Ituri and other provinces, UN spokesperson Daniela Gross said on Friday. 

    Civilians in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces are simultaneously dealing with Ebola and the ongoing conflict between the Congolese military and Rwanda-backed M23 militia. 

    Ituri province remains the heart of the outbreak; of the more than 4,660 cases total, Ituri has recorded over 3,400. 

    Across eastern DRC, 2.6 million people are seriously malnourished, with more than half located in Ituri. 

    Since the end of May, WFP has provided more than 260,000 hot meals at treatment and isolation centres in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. 

    Following Friday’s meeting of the UN’s Inter-Agency Standing Committee, Mr. Fletcher said the world’s largest humanitarian organisations had agreed to scale up the global Ebola response. 

More support needed 

    Still, Ms. Gross said that civilians’ needs in the DRC far outpace the Ebola response, and that more support is needed. 

    In order to protect lives across the region, Mr. Fletcher said the UN and its partners responding to Ebola must double the number of teams ensuring safe and dignified burials, triple the treatment capacity, improve contact tracing, and deploy more experienced managers. 

    They also need to keep providing water, hygiene and healthcare assistance to those affected by the both outbreak and the years-long conflict between multiple armed groups and national troops which is complicating the fight against Ebola. 

    Food insecurity assistance is only 25 per cent funded, highlighting the need for additional funding for lifesaving food aid. 

    “The world needs to wake up and show up,” Mr. Fletcher said. 

Source: 

Link: https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/08/1168148

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Preparing for the Next #Pandemic: Learning From #COVID19 to Build What Comes Next

 

Abstract

WHO's efforts to strengthen pandemic preparedness—grounded in what the world learned during COVID-19 and what today's outbreaks of avian influenza, Hantavirus and Ebola are teaching us.

Source: 

Link: https://academic.oup.com/ofid/article/13/7/ofag348/8728458

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The #Bundibugyo Ebola Virus #Emergency and the erosion of global #health #security

 

{Excerpt}

(...)

Retreating on global public health preparedness efforts through funding disruptions and the withdrawal of support for key agencies such as the WHO, Gavi and others is profoundly short-sighted and will reverse the significant gains that have been made. Ignoring the regional conflicts sustained by misplaced priorities that value mineral extraction above the lives of vulnerable communities only helps create the perfect storm for the next outbreak. The question is not whether there will be another outbreak, or whether there are deadlier viruses still undiscovered, waiting to exploit the fault lines we help create. The question is whether the world's leadership will finally choose to see the basic humanity of vulnerable communities and act to protect them before it is too late. This is not just the right thing to do; it is the only appropriate human response.

Source: 

Link: https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0006648

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#Andes Virus on a Cruise #Ship, what it Tells us About the #Global #Pandemic #Preparedness Agenda

 

Summary

The outbreak of hantavirus disease caused by Andes virus aboard a cruise ship is a reminder of the challenges posed by emerging diseases in the modern era. While Andes virus-associated disease can be particularly severe, it is unlikely to spread extensively beyond the current number of cases or emerge as a large epidemic, especially if public health measures are followed. Nonetheless, the outbreak exemplifies the complexity of international outbreak response with differences in national preparedness frameworks and the rapid spread of mis-/disinformation. We discuss this outbreak in the context of global epidemic and pandemic preparedness and emphasize the importance of sustained, inclusive global collaborative One Health approaches to preparedness and response. We stress the urgent need for global coordination, discuss specific challenges, and provide recommendations for further strengthening of global preparedness.

Source: 

Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(26)00167-5/fulltext

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#Fact-finding #mission on #airport exit #screening - EU Health Task Force mission to #DRC and #Uganda, #Bundibugyo virus disease #outbreak 2026 (ECDC, summary)

 

Executive summary

    This report provides a snapshot of the infrastructure and procedures in place for exit screening in the main international airports of each capital city: N’djili International Airport in Kinshasa (DRC) and Entebbe International Airport in Kampala (Uganda). 

    Exit screening in these airports, including symptom checks and exposure assessment, can contribute to reducing the risk of onward transmission by identifying travellers who are symptomatic before they board, and preventing them travelling with symptoms. 

    It also helps dissuade people who are ill from travelling, and enhances public and stakeholder confidence in the public health response. 

    However, it cannot fully prevent the exportation of cases, as the absence of symptoms at departure does not exclude subsequent onset of disease upon or after arrival. 

    The mission team found that both countries have established coordinated exit screening systems, supported by strong political commitment and national leadership to prevent international transmission of Ebola disease. 

    These function alongside domestic containment efforts based on extensive experience of managing previous Ebola disease outbreaks. 

    In both countries, the mission team observed a high degree of transparency and willingness to engage with stakeholders through facilitating access to systems and operations. 

    The site visit at both airports demonstrated that the exit screening systems in place are in line with international standards and benefit from effective multi-sectoral collaboration, involving public health authorities, aviation actors, border services, security forces, and international partners. 

    Screening processes have clear referral and escalation pathways supported by trained medical personnel and infection, prevention and control (IPC) measures. 

    While the systems in place are functional, the mission identified opportunities for further targeted interventions, particularly in relation to passenger processing, digital integration, IPC measures and risk communication. 

    These findings have been communicated to the national authorities in both countries. 

    Regular training, supervision and monitoring over time by national teams and international partners will help to sustain and further improve practices.

Source: 

Link: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/fact-finding-mission-airport-exit-screening-eu-health-task-force-mission

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#Venezuela #earthquakes: International rescue teams join the search for #survivors as #death toll surpasses 1,400 (UN, June 28 '26)

 

    The death toll continues to rise, while a preliminary assessment estimates the direct physical damage caused by the disaster at $6.7 billion.

    At the request of the Venezuelan Government, 44 international urban search and rescue teams, known as USAR, have deployed 2,245 specialists and 140 search dogs to extract possible survivors from collapsed structures and provide initial medical care, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Saturday.

    OCHA has activated its emergency response mechanisms and is supporting the arrival and coordination of teams in the country.

    The rescuers come from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru and the Dominican Republic; as well as from Germany, Czechia, Spain, the United States, France, Italy, Jordan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Qatar, the United Kingdom, Serbia, Syria, Switzerland and Türkiye.

    As of 27 June, authorities have confirmed that at least 1,430 people have died and another 3,238 have been injured following the devastating twin earthquakes that struck the north of the country on 24 June.

Damage equivalent to six per cent of GDP

    While rescue operations continue, a preliminary satellite assessment by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates that the earthquakes caused direct physical damage of about $6.7 billion, equivalent to about six per cent of the country's gross domestic product.

    The estimate, calculated using the Rapid Digital Analysis tool known as RAPIDA, places the range of losses between $4.7 billion and $8.7 billion. This figure includes damage to homes and economic assets, but does not account for damage to infrastructure, disruption of economic activity, or long-term reconstruction costs.

    The earthquakes, of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, shook northern Venezuela and were felt in the capital Caracas and in the states of La Guaira, Carabobo, Miranda, Yaracuy and Aragua.

    According to UNDP , some 8.6 million people were exposed to moderate to severe shaking, including approximately 2.1 million who experienced the strongest tremors. The assessment also estimates that 1.7 million structures were located in the affected areas.

Possible power outages

    Satellite data also points to possible power outages in parts of Carabobo, La Guaira, Caracas and Aragua, after detecting a reduction in nighttime lighting following the earthquakes.

    “The speed and accuracy of initial assessments are essential for an effective response,” said Luis Francisco Thais, UNDP Resident Representative in Venezuela.

    “Tools like RAPIDA help us make faster, evidence-based decisions to support affected communities,” he added.

    The agency explained that it will continue to analyze higher-resolution satellite images to support authorities in assessing casualties, displacement, and recovery needs.

Source: 

Link: https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/06/1167825

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#Bundibugyo Virus Disease in 2026 — #Clinical and Public Health #Responses

 

Summary

Bundibugyo virus is a relatively rare orthoebolavirus that has caused only two previously recognized disease outbreaks but remains capable of producing severe epidemic disease with substantial mortality. The 2026 outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo has highlighted persistent challenges in the detection of filovirus disease outbreaks, as well as in diagnosis, clinical management, and the public health response, particularly in resource-limited settings. As with other filovirus infections, effective control of the Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak depends on rapid identification of cases, laboratory confirmation of infection, isolation of cases, contact tracing, infection-prevention measures, protection of health care workers, and community engagement. Although no licensed vaccines or approved therapeutics specific to Bundibugyo virus disease are currently available, advances in supportive care have improved outcomes during recent filovirus disease outbreaks. Experimental evidence from studies involving nonhuman primates, serologic investigations with human samples, and monoclonal antibody research suggests that vaccines and therapeutics developed against Ebola virus may provide cross-protective activity against Bundibugyo virus. These observations support prototype-pathogen approaches to preparedness while underscoring the need for continued development of pathogen-specific countermeasures. The current outbreak reinforces the principle that a successful response to filovirus disease requires integration of medical countermeasures, clinical care, surveillance, diagnostics, and coordinated multinational public health operations.

Source: 

Link: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra2607216?query=TOC&cid=DM2454531_NEJM_Non_Subscriber&bid=-732391206

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#Bundibugyo #Ebola in #DRC and #Uganda: #community-centred #response must be operational, not rhetorical

 

{Excerpt}

On May 15, 2026, the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare of DR Congo declared the country's 17th recorded Ebola disease outbreak after the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale confirmed Bundibugyo virus (species Orthoebolavirus bundibugyoense) as the aetiological agent.1 That this outbreak was caused by Bundibugyo virus is not a taxonomic footnote. It changes the diagnostic, countermeasure, and risk-communication context of the response.2

(...)

Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/home

Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(26)00322-1/fulltext?rss=yes

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Institutionalising public #health #emergency #preparedness and responses in #Africa: lessons learned during the 2022-2025 #outbreaks with crossborder spread potential

 

Summary

Lessons and best practices from outbreaks during 2022–25 in Africa were not comprehensively documented or shared to inform future outbreak responses. We conducted a narrative review of published articles and outbreak response reports of mpox, cholera, Ebola virus disease, and Marburg virus disease and captured experts' perspectives and lessons. We analysed and presented the data in themes. Evidence indicates that effective responses are built on routine investments maintained between outbreaks, particularly in decentralised laboratories, digital surveillance systems, community structures, and clinical trial readiness. The institutionalisation of response mechanisms through national public health institutes, incident management systems, and emergency operations centres reflects a maturing continental preparedness architecture, reinforced by rapid regional solidarity, south–south cooperation, and timely partner support. National political leadership was crucial in mobilising resources and ensuring public compliance, whereas innovations such as expanded genomic surveillance, timely deployment of investigational countermeasures, mobility-aware outbreak control, and improved early-warning systems strengthened responses to outbreaks. The successful control of these recent outbreaks highlights the importance of strengthening preparedness, institutionalising response systems, and fostering coordinated, Africa-led health security frameworks to support resilient and sustainable outbreak response.

Source: 

Link: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(26)00160-9/fulltext

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#WHO DG's remarks at High-Level Virtual #Meeting of African Heads of State and Government and Partners on #Bundibugyo #Ebola #outbreak – 16 June 2026

 

Your Excellencies President Ndayishimiye,

President Ramaphosa,

Vice President Alupo,

Prime Minister Suminwa Tuluka,

Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf,

Dr Jean Kaseya,

Excellencies, honourable Ministers, dear colleagues and friends,

    I thank the Africa CDC for hosting this event, and for its partnership in the Ebola response through the joint, African-led incident management support team.

    Thank you also to all those who have made concrete commitments today to support the Joint Continental Preparedness and Response Plan, especially the Government of DRC and Uganda.

    Two weeks ago I traveled to DRC, and I visited the epicentre of the outbreak in the province of Ituri.

    I saw resilience, I saw commitment and I saw hope.

    Treatment capacity is expanding, and we are seeing recoveries.

    But I also saw first-hand the challenges that the communities and our teams face.

    Testing and laboratory capacity are still not at the level we need to interrupt transmission.

    Insecurity, displacement and population movement complicate these efforts – as does significant mistrust in local communities, which I observed while I was in Bunia.

    And blanket travel restrictions are disrupting supply chains and hindering response operations, without addressing the source of transmission.

    As you may know, this month marks 50 years since the first documented Ebola outbreaks in Sudan and DRC, in 1976 – although the first documented outbreak of Bundibugyo virus was only 19 years ago, in 2007.

    In that time, there have only ever been four cases of Ebola documented in travelers from Africa, excluding medical evacuations.

    Blanket travel restrictions are an unnecessary overreaction that do more harm than good.

    WHO recommends targeted public health measures, including exit screening at points of departure, which are much more effective.

    As you know, we are fighting this outbreak without vaccines or therapeutics.

    Clinical trials of promising medicines for treatment and prevention will start in the coming weeks. Vaccine trials will take longer.

    We are also working to ensure access for the affected communities to medicines and vaccines should they be successful in trials.

    Of course, medical countermeasures would be very useful.

    But under the leadership of the government, we can defeat this outbreak without them, just as we have defeated 16 previous Ebola outbreaks in DRC.

    The bigger question is what we will do to prevent the 18th Ebola outbreak, and the 19th.

    That must include working with communities to address the root causes of Ebola outbreaks by improving food safety and preventing spillover, as part of a One Health approach.

    At the same time, we must remember that for the people of Ituri, Ebola is just one threat among many.

    During my visit, one health worker came up to me and asked why we came for Ebola, but not for the many other health threats they face.

    He has a point.

    Community mistrust is a major barrier in this outbreak because these communities feel – perhaps rightly – that the outside world only wants to protect itself from Ebola and doesn’t truly care about them.

    We have a duty to end this outbreak. But our duty does not end there.

    Even as we respond to this outbreak, we must ensure that we are strengthening the essential health services and systems that people rely on for their many other health needs.

    That’s the best way to build trust, and to keep it.

    If we protect these communities from Ebola, but not from malaria or unsafe childbirth, or measles or malnutrition, or from a conflict that is not of their making, we have not really helped.

    Excellencies, as we conclude today’s meeting, I have heard seven main priorities:

    First, the response must be African-led, with the affected countries in the driver’s seat, supported by partners based on the principle of one plan, one budget, one team.

    Second, today’s Summit has endorsed the continued collaboration between WHO and Africa CDC, under the joint Incident Management Support Team and the Joint Continental Preparedness and Response Plan.

    Third, even while we invest in fighting Ebola, we must invest in strengthening essential health systems and services, and in addressing the wider humanitarian emergency.

    Fourth, we continue to call for countries that have imposed blanket travel restrictions to lift them – as I said earlier, because this is overreaction.

    Fifth, we must continue building national and regional capacity to produce vaccines, therapeutics and other medical products.

    Sixth, we ask the armed groups to agree to a ceasefire until the outbreak is over.

    This Summit has called for the urgent establishment of humanitarian access corridors to ensure safe access for authorities and partners to North Kivu, South Kivu and other high-risk areas.

    And seventh, even as we work to stop this outbreak, we must start work now to prevent the next one, by addressing the root causes.

    This Summit has emphasized the need to move from emergency appeals to sustainable preparedness financing, anchored in domestic governments and the African private sector, and complemented by external partners.

    None of this is the responsibility of DRC alone. We are all in this together.

    In particular, strong cross-border cooperation between affected countries and their neighbours is especially important.

    The keys to ending this outbreak are government leadership, community ownership, and strong partnership between WHO, Africa CDC and the many other actors on the ground.

    Thank you all once again for your support. Together, we can stop this.

    And to Your Excellency President Ndayishimiye and President Ramaphosa, we really appreciate your leadership. 

Source: 

Link: https://www.who.int/news-room/speeches/item/who-director-general-s-remarks-at-the-high-level-virtual-meeting-of-african-heads-of-state-and-government-and-partners-on-the-ebola-bundibugyo-virus-disease-outbreak---16-june-2026

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Twenty-one #countries launch coordinated #Andes virus #research initiative following #hantavirus #outbreak (WHO, June 12 '26)

 

    Following the recent Andes virus (ANDV) outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship, a globally coordinated outbreak research initiative involving investigators and institutions across 21 countries has begun implementation,  demonstrating how international research preparedness systems can be rapidly activated during health emergencies.

    The initiative, known as NAVIS, is a natural history study designed to improve understanding of ANDV transmission dynamics, incubation periods, immune responses, viral kinetics, and determinants of severe disease through harmonized longitudinal follow-up of exposed individuals.

    The study will use a harmonized prospective protocol, which was developed by Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain, for immediate deployment after an emergency scientific consultation coordinated through the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)-led Hantavirus Collaborative Open Research Consortium (CORC) mobilized more than 1600 experts from over 130 countries to identify urgent scientific priorities and coordinate international research activities.

    “Closing gaps in our scientific knowledge is key to the development of medical countermeasures, and through international coordination we ensure this is accelerated. Preparedness, therefore, must include the ability to rapidly generate scientific evidence during outbreaks, not only respond to them,” said Yper Hall of the UKHSA.

    By using standardized approaches across countries, NAVIS aims to generate comparable datasets to better understand the pathogen and inform the development of medical countermeasures like tests, treatments and vaccines.

    Coordination of the NAVIS platform is being supported by ANRS Emerging Infectious Diseases (ANRS-MIE) under BE READY, a EU-funded global initiative to strengthen research preparedness and rapid scientific mobilization for future epidemics and pandemics. The study will use ISARIC (International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infection Consortium), an adaptable research framework designed to enable rapid, standardized data and sample collection during emerging infectious disease outbreaks.

    Participating countries include: 

    ° Australia, 

    ° Belgium, 

    ° Canada, 

    ° Democratic Republic of the Congo, 

    ° Denmark, 

    ° France, 

    ° Germany, 

    ° Greece, 

    ° Ireland, 

    ° Italy, 

    ° Japan, 

    ° the Netherlands, 

    ° New Zealand, 

    ° Singapore, 

    ° South Africa, 

    ° Spain, 

    ° Switzerland, 

    ° Türkiye, 

    ° the United Kingdom and 

    ° the United States.

    Participating institutions include leading infectious disease, clinical research, and public health centres such as the Australian Centre for Disease Control, Sinai Health System, Institut National de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm), Hellenic Pasteur Institute, University College Dublin, National Centre for Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Zurich, University of Liverpool, and Emory University, among others.

    “The rapid launch of NAVIS across 21 countries shows what is possible when research networks are established before outbreaks occur,” commented Yazdan Yazdanpanah of ANRS-MIE.

    NAVIS represents a practical example of outbreak research preparedness under the World Health Organization’s R&D Blueprint, which establishes research networks for pathogen families, to support rapid scientific coordination and implementation of outbreak research before emergencies emerge.

    Outbreaks such as that of the ANDV present rare opportunities for scientific investigation, with a limited window of time for generating robust evidence. Without rapid coordination and harmonized protocols, opportunities to better understand the pathogen can be lost.

    “Scientific evidence generation during outbreaks must become operational, coordinated, and immediately deployable. Future outbreak responses should begin by activating research systems that already exist rather than trying to build them during crises,” said Sylvie Briand, Chief Scientist at WHO.

    The initiative also highlights the importance of geographically-distributed research preparedness. Countries and regions where outbreaks emerge or pathogens circulate must be central participants in evidence generation through strengthened clinical trial networks, national ethics committees, laboratory systems, surveillance platforms, and outbreak research infrastructure.

    The ANDV outbreak demonstrated the importance of research preparedness. Future outbreak responses should no longer begin by building research systems during crises. They should begin by activating systems that already exist.

Source: 

Link: https://www.who.int/news/item/12-06-2026-twenty-one-countries-launch-coordinated-andes-virus-research-initiative-following-hantavirus-outbreak

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#WHO DG's opening #remarks at launch of joint #Bundibugyo #Ebola virus continental strategic #preparedness and #response plan – 5 June 2026 (edited)

 

    Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa CDC,

    Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa,

    Dear colleagues, partners and friends from the media,

    Good morning, good afternoon and good evening, and thank you for joining us.

    Earlier this week, I returned from DRC, where I travelled to the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak in the province of Ituri.

    I saw and heard first-hand the challenges that the communities are facing, and that the government and partners are facing, as we race to control this outbreak as quickly as possible.

    The outbreak is moving fast, and we are still playing catch-up.

    But my trip to the DRC also gave me real hope that together, under the government’s leadership, we can bring this outbreak under control.

    The only way we will do that is through government leadership, community ownership and close partnership between the many actors on the ground.

    Today, WHO and Africa CDC are expressing that partnership by launching a joint continental preparedness and response plan.

    The objective is straightforward: we need to stop the outbreak where it is, support countries that are responding today, and ensure that neighbouring countries are ready to detect and act quickly if cases appear.

    There are several important features of this plan.

    First, it’s a shared plan. The only way to beat this outbreak is through close partnership, working together under the leadership of the affected countries in one coordinated effort, guided by a simple principle: one plan, one budget, one team.

    Second, this is a practical plan. It sets out what we need to do now, together, to contain the current outbreak and reduce the risk of further spread.

    Third, it’s a time-bound plan, covering June to November this year.

    And fourth, it’s a costed plan, at US$ 518 million.

    That figure represents the combined effort of WHO, Africa CDC and key partners including UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, the IFRC and FIND.

    Africa CDC and WHO are also establishing a joint financial tracking mechanism to monitor funding needs, commitments and gaps.

    The plan focuses on core areas: emergency coordination, surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, clinical care, and community engagement.

    It also provides for research, logistics, and the continuity of essential health services, which are often disrupted during outbreaks.

    Experience shows that success depends on how well these elements function together.

    Surveillance must lead quickly to testing. Testing must trigger isolation and care;

    Infection prevention must protect health workers and patients;

    And community engagement must be continuous, grounded in trust, and responsive to concerns.

    This plan builds directly on national response plans in the DRC and Uganda, where authorities are intensifying efforts to bring the outbreak under control.

    It also supports preparedness in neighbouring countries, where cross-border movement creates ongoing risk.

    WHO is engaged at all three levels to support the response.

    But technical work alone is not enough. Containing Ebola depends on political commitment, sustained financing, and the trust and engagement of communities.

    This plan places communities at the centre, because without their participation, contact tracing falters, safe care is delayed, and transmission continues.

    Misinformation is almost as dangerous as the virus itself, and spreads just as fast.

    Earning and keeping the trust of communities is at the heart of everything we do.

    We are not starting from zero. This plan draws on lessons from previous Ebola outbreaks and recent health emergencies.

    Those lessons are clear: speed matters, coordination matters, and consistency matters.

    The opportunity now is to act with clarity and discipline, using a common plan to guide a common effort.

    If we do that, we can bring this outbreak to an end and strengthen the systems that protect people from the next one.

    This is a serious outbreak and it’s one we know how to stop but we need to move fast and together.

    No country faces this alone.

    As I said earlier, the key to this plan is partnership, especially between the Africa CDC and WHO.

    I’m therefore pleased to invite the Director-General of the Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya, to say a few words.

    Jean, over to you.

Source: 

Link: https://www.who.int/news-room/speeches/item/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-launch-of-joint-bundibugyo-ebola-virus-continental-strategic-preparedness-and-response-plan-5-june-2026

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#Africa #CDC and #WHO launch joint #continental #Ebola #response plan (June 5 '26)

 

    The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) today launched a joint continental preparedness and response plan on the ongoing Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus. 

    The plan aims to raise US$ 518 million to support African countries together with partners to prepare for, rapidly detect and respond to the outbreak.

    The six-month plan, covering June to November 2026, brings together governments, partners and communities under a unified ‘One Response’ approach to strengthen outbreak response measures, including emergency coordination, disease surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, clinical care, community engagement, research, logistics and support for essential health services.

    The plan complements national response plans launched by the Governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

    “The only way to beat this outbreak is through close partnership, working together under the leadership of the affected countries in one coordinated effort, guided by a simple principle: one plan, one budget, one team,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. 

    “Containing Ebola depends on political commitment, sustained financing, and the trust and engagement of communities. This plan places communities at the centre, because without their participation, contact tracing falters, safe care is delayed, and transmission continues.”

    Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC, said: “Ebola moves fast. Africa must move faster. This joint plan gives the continent a clear path to act with speed and unity: to save lives, support the affected countries and protect neighbouring communities. With Member States, WHO and partners, Africa CDC is turning commitment into action and resources into response for the communities at risk.”

    The plan also focuses on protecting vulnerable populations, strengthening cross-border collaboration, and supporting countries to respond quickly to new cases. At a time when there are no licensed vaccines or therapeutics specifically approved for the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, the plan aims to strengthen health systems to ensure resilience even as countries respond to acute health emergencies.

    Implementation of preparedness and response activities is already underway across affected and at-risk countries. Furthermore, in 10 priority countries critical measures are being strengthened to enhance public health emergency preparedness and ensure early detection and swift response.

    The plan emphasizes the need to maintain support for other ongoing health emergencies, including mpox, cholera and measles, to prevent disruptions to critical response efforts and safeguard progress towards stronger, more resilient health systems.

    This coordinated effort comes as response operations accelerate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where authorities, with support from Africa CDC, WHO and partners, are ramping up efforts to curb the spread of the virus and end the outbreak.

    Africa CDC and WHO urge Member States to strengthen screening and public health measures at points of entry and enhance cross-border coordination and solidarity to support a timely, effective and evidence-based response to the outbreak.

    Through the joint preparedness and response plan, the continent is mobilising its collective expertise and resources to reinforce response measures, acting as one to control the outbreak and protect communities across the region. Its successful implementation will require strong political commitment, sustained investment and close collaboration among governments, health workers, communities and partners.

    Drawing on lessons learned from previous Ebola outbreaks and recent public health emergencies, the plan also provides a pathway to broadly strengthen Africa’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to future health threats while protecting lives and livelihoods.

(...)

Source: 

Link: https://www.who.int/news/item/05-06-2026-africa-cdc-and-who-launch-joint-continental-ebola-response-plan

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Joint #statement by Government of #DRC and #WHO concerning #outbreak of #Ebola disease caused by the #Bundibugyo virus (June 1 '26)

 

    The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirm their strong partnership and shared commitment to protect the health and well-being of the people of Ituri Province and the nation at large, following the joint mission to Bunia led by Dr Samuel Roger Kamba, Minister of Health, Mr. Patrick Muyaya Katembwe, Minister of Communication and Medias, and the visit of WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

    This high-level visit comes at a challenging time, as the country responds to an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus. 

    The Ministry of Health reports a rapidly evolving situation, with cases and deaths notified in several health zones of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. 

    The Government, with support from WHO and partners, is intensifying surveillance, laboratory testing and patient care to interrupt transmission as quickly as possible

    The Government of the DRC is firmly leading a comprehensive national response, working closely with provincial authorities in Ituri and neighbouring provinces. 

    WHO, alongside the broader United Nations system and health and humanitarian partners, is fully committed to supporting these efforts. 

    Together, DRC authorities, WHO and partners are working to strengthen coordination, mobilize additional resources, and ensure that life-saving interventions reach affected communities quickly and equitably

    Central to this response is the recognition that communities are at the heart of the solution. Success will depend on the trust, engagement and leadership of local communities. National and provincial authorities, with support from WHO and partners, are intensifying dialogue with community leaders, women's groups, youth representatives, religious leaders and the private sector to better understand local concerns and co-develop solutions that are culturally appropriate and effective.

    While the Bundibugyo strain presents additional challenges, including the absence of a licensed vaccine or specific treatment, proven public health measures remain effective in slowing transmission and potential full recovery. 

    The Ministry of Health, WHO and partners are working to rapidly undertake randomized control trials on candidate vaccines and treatments.

    Persistent challenges include early detection and isolation of cases, contact tracing, safe and dignified burials, robust infection prevention and control in health facilities, and strong community awareness. 

    The Government and WHO call on all communities to continue adopting protective behaviours, including regular hand hygiene, early care seeking in health facilities, and sharing accurate information.

    The DRC brings unparalleled experience to this response, having successfully contained multiple previous Ebola outbreaks. This experience, combined with strong political leadership at the highest level of the State and renewed international solidarity, provides a firm foundation for bringing the current outbreak under control.

    Both parties emphasize that outbreak response must maintain primary health care and essential services and strengthen long-term health system resilience. Investments made today in laboratories, health workers, surveillance systems and essential services will leave a legacy for the people of Ituri and the DRC as a whole.

    We sincerely thank our international partners for the support already provided to response operations, and we encourage sustained solidarity to bring this outbreak under control. Cooperation between countries must also ensure that borders remain open, and that entry controls do not obstruct the flow of desperately needed medical supplies and personnel.

    Together, DRC authorities, WHO, Africa CDC and partners are working to strengthen coordination, mobilize additional resources, and ensure that life-saving interventions reach affected communities quickly and equitably.

Source: 

Link: https://www.who.int/news/item/31-05-2026-joint-statement-by-the-government-of-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-and-who-concerning-the-outbreak-of-ebola-disease-caused-by-the-bundibugyo-virus

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#Outbreak at #Sea: The MV Hondius #Hantavirus #Cluster as a Sentinel for Global #Pandemic Readiness

 

{Summary}

The South Atlantic promises crystalline isolation. But the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius—an expedition vessel carrying 147 passengers and crew from 23 nations—harbored something else entirely between the Southern Cone and Antarctica [1, 2]. An invisible passenger. Epidemiologists trace this outbreak directly to dry land, theorizing the index case inhaled aerosolized rodent excreta during a Southern Cone bird-watching excursion [1].

(...)

Source: 

Link: https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(26)00473-X/fulltext

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