The World Health Organization announced a global public health emergency tied to the spread of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in central Africa as officials warned of significant uncertainty surrounding the outbreak’s scope and transmission patterns.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency of international concern over an outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola spreading through parts of central Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring Uganda.
WHO officials said the outbreak involves “significant uncertainties to the true number of infected persons and geographic spread,” adding that health authorities still have only a “limited understanding of the epidemiological links” between confirmed and suspected cases.
After having consulted the #DRC and #Uganda where the #Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus is known to be currently occurring, I determine that the epidemic constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), as defined in the provisions of IHR.
My full… pic.twitter.com/zhYVEyxSI8
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) May 17, 2026
According to the organization, current data “all point towards a potentially much larger outbreak than what is currently being detected and reported.”
The outbreak has centered in Congo’s Ituri province, where officials have reported at least 80 deaths and roughly 250 suspected infections. WHO teams are currently transporting large quantities of medical and emergency response supplies into affected areas.
Health officials warned that unlike the more widely studied Zaire strain of Ebola, there are currently no specifically approved treatments for the Bundibugyo strain.
The outbreak has also reportedly spread into larger population centers, including Uganda’s capital city of Kampala, raising additional concerns among international health agencies monitoring regional transmission.
The Bundibugyo strain was first identified during a 2007 Ebola outbreak in Uganda, where health authorities estimated a fatality rate of approximately 32 percent among infected individuals.
The WHO’s emergency declaration comes amid broader global debates over public health preparedness and international disease response systems following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Separately, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently publicly responded to claims circulating online that hantavirus could become a new global pandemic threat.
Responding to comments made by broadcaster Alex Jones in a video shared on X earlier this week, Tedros wrote that he wished to reply “sincerely, with an open heart” to speculation that hantavirus represented “COVID 2.0.”
“I understand where this fear comes from,” Tedros wrote.
“COVID-19 scarred all of us. It took loved ones, disrupted lives, and shook our trust in the institutions meant to protect us. That pain is real, and I do not dismiss it.”
Tedros added that current data did not support claims of an expanding global hantavirus emergency.
“But Alex, the facts today tell a different story,” he wrote. “There is no ‘rollout’ and no ‘hype.’ As of today, there are only 10 confirmed cases globally, and no deaths have been recorded since May 2. And all deaths are linked to the outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship. Hence, the WHO’s assessment remains that the risk for the global population is low.”
“I kindly ask you, Alex, to consider the weight that words carry in moments like these,” Tedros continued.
The WHO has remained under scrutiny from critics over its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including disputes regarding early guidance, transmission information, pandemic origin theories, and treatment recommendations.
President Donald Trump repeatedly criticized the organization during and after the pandemic, describing it as “China-centric” and accusing it of failing to maintain independence from political influence by member states.
Trump previously froze U.S. funding to the WHO and withdrew the United States from the organization during his first term, though the decision was later reversed.
After returning to office, Trump again moved to withdraw the United States from the WHO, citing concerns involving the organization’s pandemic response, accountability standards, institutional reform efforts, and alleged political influence from countries including China.
Some U.S. states, including California, are reportedly exploring independent cooperative relationships with the WHO despite the federal withdrawal.
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