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Discussion - Ebola outbreaks 2026 (DRC & Uganda)
- Thread starter Treyfish
- Start date
Treyfish
Moderator
:tiphat: Stanis Bujakera Tshiamala
@StanysBujakera
·
6m
Translated from French
#Ebola: Ten African countries are exposed to a risk of Ebola virus spread, beyond #DRC, the epicenter of the ongoing epidemic, and Uganda. This is the warning issued on Saturday, May 23, by the African Union's health agency (Africa CDC). "We have ten countries at risk" of being affected, declared its director general, Jean Kaseya, during a press briefing. This list includes South Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Congo-Brazzaville, Burundi, Angola, Central African Republic, and Zambia.
@StanysBujakera
·
6m
Translated from French
#Ebola: Ten African countries are exposed to a risk of Ebola virus spread, beyond #DRC, the epicenter of the ongoing epidemic, and Uganda. This is the warning issued on Saturday, May 23, by the African Union's health agency (Africa CDC). "We have ten countries at risk" of being affected, declared its director general, Jean Kaseya, during a press briefing. This list includes South Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Congo-Brazzaville, Burundi, Angola, Central African Republic, and Zambia.
Treyfish
Moderator
:tiphat:
Corneille Ntihabose
@CKNtihabose
22 May 2026- DR Congo Ministry of Health reports 867 suspected cumulative Ebola cases and 204 probable deaths. ----------------------------- Kuwa 22 Gucurasi, Ministeri y'ubuzima ya Congo yatangaje ko abantu 867 aribo bakekwaho ko banduye Ebola, naho 204 akaba aribo imaze guhitana.
3:40 PM · May 23, 2026
:tiphat:
https://x.com/CKNtihabose/status/2058271795170693422
Corneille Ntihabose
@CKNtihabose
22 May 2026- DR Congo Ministry of Health reports 867 suspected cumulative Ebola cases and 204 probable deaths. ----------------------------- Kuwa 22 Gucurasi, Ministeri y'ubuzima ya Congo yatangaje ko abantu 867 aribo bakekwaho ko banduye Ebola, naho 204 akaba aribo imaze guhitana.
3:40 PM · May 23, 2026
:tiphat:
https://x.com/CKNtihabose/status/2058271795170693422
sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
I moved this post from the news thread because I can't verify it. The numbers, however, are completely believable.
With so much conflict in the outbreak area there are competing data generated so we have to be careful in our assessments.
With so much conflict in the outbreak area there are competing data generated so we have to be careful in our assessments.
Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
This is accurate. It was posted yesterday on the official X account of the DRC Ministry of Communication and Media.
Ministère de la Communication et Médias/RDC
@Com_mediasRDC
Translated from French
#EbolaRDC | Situation Report as of May 22, 2026
The Ebola epidemic continues to be the subject of enhanced monitoring by health authorities in the affected provinces.
3 provinces affected: Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu
83 confirmed cases and 746 cumulative suspected cases
11 health zones affected
Official free toll-free number: 151
Compliance with prevention measures and collective vigilance remain essential to limit the spread of the virus.
...
https://x.com/Com_mediasRDC/status/2058247626840064043
Ministère de la Communication et Médias/RDC
@Com_mediasRDC
Translated from French
#EbolaRDC | Situation Report as of May 22, 2026The Ebola epidemic continues to be the subject of enhanced monitoring by health authorities in the affected provinces.
3 provinces affected: Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu 83 confirmed cases and 746 cumulative suspected cases 11 health zones affected Official free toll-free number: 151Compliance with prevention measures and collective vigilance remain essential to limit the spread of the virus.
...
https://x.com/Com_mediasRDC/status/2058247626840064043
sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
Thank you both!
cozodapo
Resident
Sharon I feel the same way about debating you as you feel about Robert, but the semantics around pandemic are a big part of the problem why we miss opportunity to contain things. I believe it should be at least 'gro beyond one country' when it offcially becomes internatonal. All this vague regional definition is meaningless in an age when we can change continent in just a few hours. A pandemic should be "more than one country".
Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Screenshots
4:05 AM · May 26, 2026
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8:27 AM · May 25, 2026
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2:29 AM · May 26, 2026
4:05 AM · May 26, 2026
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8:27 AM · May 25, 2026
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2:29 AM · May 26, 2026
Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Translation Google
Ebola in the DRC: More than 1,300 contacts are still escaping monitoring
By the Editorial Staff
May 25, 2026
As the DRC faces its 17th Ebola outbreak since 1976, a major challenge is currently undermining the health response: the tracing of contacts exposed to the virus. Of the 1,745 people identified by health teams, only 351 have been located and monitored, according to official data from the Congolese government. Behind these figures lie complex realities: fear of stigmatization, persistent rumors, mistrust of medical teams, and difficulties in accessing several affected areas. Despite the country's experience in the fight against Ebola, the decisive battle now remains that of community trust.
There are figures that are reassuring. And others that are deeply worrying. One hundred and one confirmed cases. Ten confirmed deaths. Laboratories mobilized. Checkpoints set up. Teams deployed in several provinces. The Democratic Republic of Congo is taking action. It is acting quickly. It is acting with the painful experience of sixteen previous outbreaks.
But another figure has now emerged at the heart of this 17th Ebola epidemic. A brutal figure. A silent figure. A figure that alone encapsulates the fragility of the health response.
Only 20% of identified contacts could be traced. The rest vanished into thin air. More than 1,300 people exposed to the virus are still escaping health monitoring.
This is where the real danger begins. Because Ebola doesn't just spread in laboratories or treatment centers. The virus advances through absences. In isolated villages. Through unreported travel. Through fear. Through rumors. Through mistrust.
The DRC understands this dynamic better than anyone. Since 1976, the country has learned to combat Ebola with expertise that has become a global benchmark. Congolese doctors were often on the front lines when the world was still hesitant. Local teams know how to trace chains of transmission, isolate cases, raise community awareness, and ensure safe burials.
This experience matters. It is already saving lives. Let's be clear: contrary to simplistic caricatures, the DRC is not responding to this crisis haphazardly. Surveillance centers are operational. Biological analyses are ongoing. Prevention campaigns are visible in several affected areas. Bunia, Mongbwalu, Rwampara, Nyankunde, and Aru remain under active surveillance.
The state is taking action. Healthcare workers are holding on. Community relays are working, often in extremely difficult conditions. But Ebola imposes an implacable rule: a response is only effective if the population follows suit.
But this is precisely where the fault line emerges. Why do so many contacts disappear from the health system's radar? Why do some identified individuals still refuse medical follow-up? Why do some families flee from the response teams? The answer goes far beyond the medical field.
In many areas, Ebola remains shrouded in old fears and persistent beliefs. Some residents dread the stigma. Others fear forced isolation. Rumors spread faster than official campaigns. Here, people talk about a fabricated disease. There, they suspect political or financial interests. Elsewhere, secure burials are seen as an infringement on family rites.
The virus exploits these social divisions with formidable efficiency.
The difficulty is therefore not only health-related. It is human. Cultural. Psychological. Even political. This is why the DRC must now win a second battle: the battle for trust.
Not just with numbers. Not just with health measures. But with a constant human presence at the heart of communities.
Traditional leaders, religious figures, local radio stations, teachers, and community associations must become central players in this response. A population that understands the situation cooperates more. A population that feels respected is less likely to hide its sick. A community that is involved becomes a bulwark against the spread of the virus.
The challenge is immense, especially in provinces weakened by insecurity, population displacement, and the isolation of several territories.
But abandoning contact tracing would be a fatal mistake. Every lost contact can become a new chain of transmission. Every lapse in monitoring can transform a localized outbreak into a regional crisis. Africa CDC is already warning of the risks of the virus spreading beyond Congo's borders.
Time is now as important as trust. The DRC now has the experience, the scientists, and the infrastructure to contain this outbreak. Few African countries have such operational experience with Ebola.
But this expertise still needs to gain popular support.
The true victory against Ebola will not be won solely in treatment centers. It will be won in villages. In families. In the state's ability to persuade rather than impose.
Because in the case of an epidemic, lost contacts are often the virus's first victories.
Info27
https://infos27.cd/2026/05/25/ebola-en-rdc-plus-de-1-300-contacts-echappent-encore-au-suivi/
Ebola in the DRC: More than 1,300 contacts are still escaping monitoring
By the Editorial Staff
May 25, 2026
As the DRC faces its 17th Ebola outbreak since 1976, a major challenge is currently undermining the health response: the tracing of contacts exposed to the virus. Of the 1,745 people identified by health teams, only 351 have been located and monitored, according to official data from the Congolese government. Behind these figures lie complex realities: fear of stigmatization, persistent rumors, mistrust of medical teams, and difficulties in accessing several affected areas. Despite the country's experience in the fight against Ebola, the decisive battle now remains that of community trust.
There are figures that are reassuring. And others that are deeply worrying. One hundred and one confirmed cases. Ten confirmed deaths. Laboratories mobilized. Checkpoints set up. Teams deployed in several provinces. The Democratic Republic of Congo is taking action. It is acting quickly. It is acting with the painful experience of sixteen previous outbreaks.
But another figure has now emerged at the heart of this 17th Ebola epidemic. A brutal figure. A silent figure. A figure that alone encapsulates the fragility of the health response.
Only 20% of identified contacts could be traced. The rest vanished into thin air. More than 1,300 people exposed to the virus are still escaping health monitoring.
This is where the real danger begins. Because Ebola doesn't just spread in laboratories or treatment centers. The virus advances through absences. In isolated villages. Through unreported travel. Through fear. Through rumors. Through mistrust.
The DRC understands this dynamic better than anyone. Since 1976, the country has learned to combat Ebola with expertise that has become a global benchmark. Congolese doctors were often on the front lines when the world was still hesitant. Local teams know how to trace chains of transmission, isolate cases, raise community awareness, and ensure safe burials.
This experience matters. It is already saving lives. Let's be clear: contrary to simplistic caricatures, the DRC is not responding to this crisis haphazardly. Surveillance centers are operational. Biological analyses are ongoing. Prevention campaigns are visible in several affected areas. Bunia, Mongbwalu, Rwampara, Nyankunde, and Aru remain under active surveillance.
The state is taking action. Healthcare workers are holding on. Community relays are working, often in extremely difficult conditions. But Ebola imposes an implacable rule: a response is only effective if the population follows suit.
But this is precisely where the fault line emerges. Why do so many contacts disappear from the health system's radar? Why do some identified individuals still refuse medical follow-up? Why do some families flee from the response teams? The answer goes far beyond the medical field.
In many areas, Ebola remains shrouded in old fears and persistent beliefs. Some residents dread the stigma. Others fear forced isolation. Rumors spread faster than official campaigns. Here, people talk about a fabricated disease. There, they suspect political or financial interests. Elsewhere, secure burials are seen as an infringement on family rites.
The virus exploits these social divisions with formidable efficiency.
The difficulty is therefore not only health-related. It is human. Cultural. Psychological. Even political. This is why the DRC must now win a second battle: the battle for trust.
Not just with numbers. Not just with health measures. But with a constant human presence at the heart of communities.
Traditional leaders, religious figures, local radio stations, teachers, and community associations must become central players in this response. A population that understands the situation cooperates more. A population that feels respected is less likely to hide its sick. A community that is involved becomes a bulwark against the spread of the virus.
The challenge is immense, especially in provinces weakened by insecurity, population displacement, and the isolation of several territories.
But abandoning contact tracing would be a fatal mistake. Every lost contact can become a new chain of transmission. Every lapse in monitoring can transform a localized outbreak into a regional crisis. Africa CDC is already warning of the risks of the virus spreading beyond Congo's borders.
Time is now as important as trust. The DRC now has the experience, the scientists, and the infrastructure to contain this outbreak. Few African countries have such operational experience with Ebola.
But this expertise still needs to gain popular support.
The true victory against Ebola will not be won solely in treatment centers. It will be won in villages. In families. In the state's ability to persuade rather than impose.
Because in the case of an epidemic, lost contacts are often the virus's first victories.
Info27
https://infos27.cd/2026/05/25/ebola-en-rdc-plus-de-1-300-contacts-echappent-encore-au-suivi/
Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Replaced with new, updated WSJ source article:
U.S. Races to Set Up Quarantine Facility in Kenya for Americans Exposed to Ebola
Move is a departure from procedure used during previous outbreaks of the virus
By
Sabrina Siddiqui
Follow
and
Liz Essley Whyte
Follow
Updated May 26, 2026 6:01 pm ET
snip
The people said the facility, which Tuesday was pending signoff from the Kenyan government, is primarily intended for Americans who are exposed to or at high risk of testing positive for the virus in the region, as well as Americans who test positive.
more... https://www.wsj.com/world/africa/kenya-ebola-quarantine-center-us-citizens-3d95cd47
U.S. Races to Set Up Quarantine Facility in Kenya for Americans Exposed to Ebola
Move is a departure from procedure used during previous outbreaks of the virus
By
Sabrina Siddiqui
Follow
and
Liz Essley Whyte
Follow
Updated May 26, 2026 6:01 pm ET
snip
The people said the facility, which Tuesday was pending signoff from the Kenyan government, is primarily intended for Americans who are exposed to or at high risk of testing positive for the virus in the region, as well as Americans who test positive.
more... https://www.wsj.com/world/africa/kenya-ebola-quarantine-center-us-citizens-3d95cd47
Last edited by a moderator:
sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
Please use at least 2 sources for your news and info. An example of a large media misrepresenting something....article publicly refuted by the exact group who would know 100%: :
For discussion purposes only : If Ebola spreads through bodily fluids, why is it not (considered) to be airborne ? Does anyone know ? Are the levels in the nose and upper respiratory tract much lower compared to influenza or covid ? That would be a good explanation, but I can not really think of other reasons.
Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Treyfish
Moderator
Ebola Response Update – May 28, 2026
MEDIA NOTE
OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON
MAY 28, 2026
The Department of State, in close coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is continuing to mount a rapid and comprehensive response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
Protecting Americans
To ensure Americans can easily find the latest travel information on the outbreak, the Department created a dedicated Ebola information page.
Supporting the Regional Response
Working with local governments, NGO implementers, and international organizations, the U.S. government continues a comprehensive and coordinated response to contain the Ebola outbreak at its source to protect the American people and prevent further international spread.
On May 27, the Department finalized plans to allocate an additional $80 million in bilateral assistance to key partners on the ground to expand their ongoing response to the Ebola outbreak. These new resources will enable implementing partners to scale up the following critical response activities: PPE procurement and delivery, border screening and surveillance, contact tracing, and diagnostics supplies.
Expanding Ebola Clinics and Improving Treatment Capacity
In addition to the aforementioned $112 million in bilateral foreign assistance, the State Department has committed $50 million to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to fund up to 50 Ebola response clinics in affected areas. State Department implementers have deployed responders to dozens of health facilities in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu in the DRC and are working to improve the capacity of Ebola treatment centers and Ebola transit units across affected areas. The Department is also providing $300 million through OCHA pooled funds to the DRC and Uganda for broader humanitarian efforts in the affected region.
:tiphat:
https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/05/ebola-response-update-may-28-2026/
MEDIA NOTE
OFFICE OF THE SPOKESPERSON
MAY 28, 2026
The Department of State, in close coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is continuing to mount a rapid and comprehensive response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
Protecting Americans
To ensure Americans can easily find the latest travel information on the outbreak, the Department created a dedicated Ebola information page.
Supporting the Regional Response
Working with local governments, NGO implementers, and international organizations, the U.S. government continues a comprehensive and coordinated response to contain the Ebola outbreak at its source to protect the American people and prevent further international spread.
On May 27, the Department finalized plans to allocate an additional $80 million in bilateral assistance to key partners on the ground to expand their ongoing response to the Ebola outbreak. These new resources will enable implementing partners to scale up the following critical response activities: PPE procurement and delivery, border screening and surveillance, contact tracing, and diagnostics supplies.
- PPE Procurement and Delivery: UNICEF and the World Food Program will expand procurement and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) and commodities to protect healthcare workers in affected and high-risk areas.
- Border Screening and Surveillance: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) will enhance health screening at regional points of entry including airports and key land and water crossings; increase risk communication and community engagement efforts to inform the public on how to reduce their risk and better protect themselves; and improve surveillance to monitor, detect, and report new cases.
- Contact Tracing: Interchurch Medical Assistance (IMA) World Health, World Vision, and UNICEF will expand contact tracing and associated community-based surveillance to identify individuals potentially exposed to Ebola and prevent further spread.
- Diagnostic Supplies: FHI 360 will increase procurement and distribution of test kits and support the safe transportation of samples to improve detection and identification of Ebola cases and inform response activities and reporting.
Expanding Ebola Clinics and Improving Treatment Capacity
In addition to the aforementioned $112 million in bilateral foreign assistance, the State Department has committed $50 million to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to fund up to 50 Ebola response clinics in affected areas. State Department implementers have deployed responders to dozens of health facilities in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu in the DRC and are working to improve the capacity of Ebola treatment centers and Ebola transit units across affected areas. The Department is also providing $300 million through OCHA pooled funds to the DRC and Uganda for broader humanitarian efforts in the affected region.
:tiphat:
https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/05/ebola-response-update-may-28-2026/
sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
Ok. Well the first SitRep report from the DRC gov. was covering May 17th and was published on May 18 - for an outbreak that started, apparently, in late March. It listed a huge undercount, imho, of 246 suspect cases and 0 deaths. We are still going to follow WHO and Africa CDC, along with other stake holders in the region and, of course, the health ministry of the DRC.
https://insp.cd/category/sitrep/
https://insp.cd/category/sitrep/
Last edited:
Treyfish
Moderator
TravelGov
@TravelGov
·
26m
Uganda: On May 27, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) increased its Travel Health Notice for Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease from a Level 1 to Level 2. Review the Level 2 (Practice Enhanced Precautions) Travel Health Notice for Ebola for Uganda. Due to the Ebola disease outbreak, Uganda has closed the border with DRC and set restrictions on mass gatherings in Kampala and high-risk districts along the DRC border. Read more: :tiphat:https://ug.usembassy.gov/health-alert-u-s-embassy-kampala-uganda-may-28-2026/
@TravelGov
·
26m
Uganda: On May 27, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) increased its Travel Health Notice for Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease from a Level 1 to Level 2. Review the Level 2 (Practice Enhanced Precautions) Travel Health Notice for Ebola for Uganda. Due to the Ebola disease outbreak, Uganda has closed the border with DRC and set restrictions on mass gatherings in Kampala and high-risk districts along the DRC border. Read more: :tiphat:https://ug.usembassy.gov/health-alert-u-s-embassy-kampala-uganda-may-28-2026/
Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
In a 2014 post, virologist Vincent Racaniello wrote:
“We do not know why, in humans or non-human primates, Ebola virus does not transmit by respiratory aerosols. The virus might not reach sufficiently high titers in the respiratory tract, or be stable in respiratory secretions, to be efficiently transmitted by this route. There are many other possibilities. A careful study of Ebola virus titers in the human respiratory tract, and in respiratory secretions, would be valuable. However during Ebola virus outbreaks the main concern is to save people, not conduct experiments.”
https://virology.ws/2014/09/27/transmission-of-ebola-virus/
----------------------------------------------------------
CDC - Ebola and Bundibugyo Virus Frequently Asked Questions
...
Does Ebola spread person-to-person?
Yes. People can get Ebola disease through contact with the body fluids of an infected sick or dead person. A person is only contagious once they begin showing symptoms of the disease. You cannot get Ebola from simply being near someone or passing them in public spaces because it doesn't spread through the air.
...
https://www.cdc.gov/ebola/faq/index.html
Treyfish
Moderator
US, Mexico, Canada Announce Ebola-Related Travel Measures Ahead of World Cup
Thursday, 28 May 2026 11:28 AM EDT
The United States, Mexico, and Canada on Thursday announced aligned public health travel measures for people coming from African regions at the greatest risk from Ebola, they said in a joint statement, as they aim to protect citizens and visitors during the World Cup.
"The health and safety of every person in the region remains our highest priority as we welcome the world to North America," they said in the statement, which did not detail the aligned measures.
The World Health Organization on Sunday, May 17, declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and said there was a high risk it could spread to neighboring countries.
…..
:tiphat:
https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/us-mexico-canada/2026/05/28/id/1257801/
Thursday, 28 May 2026 11:28 AM EDT
The United States, Mexico, and Canada on Thursday announced aligned public health travel measures for people coming from African regions at the greatest risk from Ebola, they said in a joint statement, as they aim to protect citizens and visitors during the World Cup.
"The health and safety of every person in the region remains our highest priority as we welcome the world to North America," they said in the statement, which did not detail the aligned measures.
The World Health Organization on Sunday, May 17, declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and said there was a high risk it could spread to neighboring countries.
…..
:tiphat:
https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/us-mexico-canada/2026/05/28/id/1257801/