DR Congo: Situation report No.1 | Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the DRC and Uganda (18 May 2026)
Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda
Source: Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
Please refer to the attached file.
A rapidly escalating outbreak of Bundibugyo ebolavirus, affecting two neighbouring countries- the DRC and Uganda, placed the global community on high alert.
As of 16 May 2026, the outbreak has resulted in at least 106 deaths: 105 in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (DRC) and one in Kampala, Uganda, due to a cross-border imported case. On 17 May 2026, the WHO
declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) after confirmed cases were reported beyond Ituri Province. Urgent containment and preparedness efforts across borders are currently in progress
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SITUATION
On 15 May 2026, the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo officially declared an outbreak of Bundibugyo ebolavirus after receiving reports of eight (8) laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases, and over 65 suspected deaths in Ituri Province across at least three (3) health zones, starting in Mongbwalu, later spreading to Bunia, Rwampara.
As of 18 May 2026, there have been 8 confirmed cases, 393 suspected cases, and 105 deaths, including four healthcare workers. Cases linked epidemiologically and related deaths have been reported in two provinces: Ituri (Mongbwalu, Rwampara, Bunia, Fataki, and Logo) and North Kivu (Goma).
The outbreak’s epidemiology is rapidly evolving and has extended beyond the original epicenter, with laboratory-confirmed cases now found in urban settings in Goma (North Kivu) and across the border in Kampala. The detection of cases in these major urban and transit hubs suggests a high risk of domestic spread, greatly increasing the likelihood of regional and international transmission
The suspected index case (a healthcare professional) had symptom onset in Epidemiological Week 15 (25 April 2026), but official detection and laboratory confirmation did not occur until Epidemiological Week 19 (13 May 2026). This significant delay (a fourweek detection gap) highlights a critically low initial index of clinical suspicion among local healthcare providers, which facilitated wider geographic spread prior to the initiation of containment efforts.
To date, four healthcare worker deaths, including the index case, have been reported. These incidents among frontline staff highlight serious, urgent deficiencies in clinical triage, standard Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures, and the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) in health care facilities in the affected health zone. ...