Ebola Bundibugyo Outbreak
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No. WHO and CDC currently assess the risk to the general public outside DRC and Uganda as low. Ebola does not spread through casual contact — it requires direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of a symptomatic person. Unlike COVID-19, Ebola is not airborne and has never caused a sustained outbreak outside Africa. WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17 — its highest international alert level — due to the outbreak's scale and cross-border spread.

There are six known Ebola virus species. Bundibugyo (BDBV) was first identified in Uganda in 2007. It has a case fatality rate of approximately 25–36% — lower than Zaire ebolavirus (up to 90%) but still extremely dangerous. Like all Ebola strains, it spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. There is no approved specific antiviral for Bundibugyo, though supportive care and experimental therapeutics are being used.

The first known suspected case is a health worker in Bunia, Ituri Province, who developed symptoms on April 24, 2026 and later died. The precise origin is uncertain — CDC estimated the index case may have occurred around April 1, and Red Cross workers reported likely exposures in late March, suggesting earlier undetected transmission in Mongbwalu Health Zone, a high-traffic mining area. WHO was first notified on May 5 after reports of an unknown high-mortality illness, and the outbreak was confirmed by PCR on May 15. The source is believed to be zoonotic — likely contact with a fruit bat, the natural reservoir for Ebola viruses. Cross-border movement led to confirmed cases in Kampala, Uganda, by May 15.

Incubation is 2–21 days. Symptoms begin abruptly with fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, and fatigue, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, and in severe cases hemorrhagic symptoms. Death typically occurs 6–16 days after symptom onset from organ failure and hypovolemic shock. Early supportive care — IV fluids, electrolyte management — significantly improves survival odds.

CDC signed a 30-day entry restriction order on May 18, 2026, barring non-US citizens who have been in DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past 21 days from entering the United States. On May 22, HHS extended this to cover lawful permanent residents (green card holders). There are zero confirmed US cases. US-bound travellers from affected regions are rerouted to Dulles (IAD), Atlanta (ATL), or Houston (IAH) for enhanced health screening. Travellers should monitor for symptoms for 21 days after departure from affected regions.

On May 20, 2026, Air France flight AF378 from Paris to Detroit was denied entry to the US after a Congolese passenger subject to CDC entry restrictions was boarded in error at Charles de Gaulle Airport. The flight diverted to Montreal-Trudeau Airport. No symptomatic passengers were identified. All passengers completed the 21-day monitoring window with no confirmed cases.

This site aggregates data from: WHO Disease Outbreak News · Africa CDC Ebola situation reports · CDC Ebola guidance and travel advisories · PHAC (Canada) AF378 passenger notifications. Case counts reflect only publicly confirmed figures. This is an independent public information resource, not affiliated with any government agency.