Health officials are tracking confirmed and suspected Ebola cases in Congo and Uganda as the CDC expands U.S. entry restrictions for recent travelers from affected countries.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The World Health Organization’s director-general warned Monday that an Ebola outbreak in Africa is moving faster than public health teams can contain it, as officials reported hundreds of suspected cases and more than 200 suspected deaths tied to the spread of Bundibugyo ebolavirus.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is broader than confirmed figures alone indicate, according to Al Jazeera.
“So far, 101 cases have been confirmed in the DRC, including 10 confirmed deaths. But we know the epidemic in the DRC is much larger,” Tedros wrote on social media. “There are now more than 900 suspected cases and 220 suspected deaths. Uganda has reported two additional confirmed cases among healthcare workers, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to seven, including one confirmed death.”
The warning was amplified in an X post as concern grew over the strain on responders in affected areas.
#Ebola Bundibugyo virus update:
– So far, 101 cases have been confirmed in the #DRC, including 10 confirmed deaths. But we know the epidemic in the DRC is much larger. There are now more than 900 suspected cases and 220 suspected deaths.
– #Uganda has reported two additional… pic.twitter.com/NU6wJBAwUm
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) May 25, 2026
The outbreak has also raised security concerns around treatment sites. According to Polymarket, a mob attacked an Ebola treatment clinic in Congo on Monday, causing 18 patients to flee the facility. The report was circulated in a separate X post.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has responded by expanding a 30-day restriction on entry into the United States for green card holders and foreign nationals who recently traveled to Congo, Uganda or South Sudan, according to information shared through an X post.
The Epoch Times wrote on X that the CDC action applies to green card holders and foreign nationals who have been in Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the previous 21 days amid the Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak. The outlet said the restriction remains in effect until June 17, giving acting CDC Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya time to assess future travel policies.
According to the same account, U.S. citizens and nationals are still allowed to return but must undergo enhanced public health screening at designated airports. The outlet noted that screening cannot detect every infected traveler because Ebola symptoms can appear up to 21 days after exposure.
The Epoch Times also reported that the CDC is using a broader prevention strategy that includes overseas exit screening, airline reporting, post-arrival monitoring and automated text messages reminding travelers to watch for symptoms. State and local health departments are receiving lists of arrivals for additional follow-up support, the outlet said.
The restriction is operating under Title 42 authority, the same legal authority used during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report. The Epoch Times stated that the outbreak had included 88 confirmed cases, 750 suspected cases, 10 confirmed deaths and 176 suspected deaths, originating with a nurse in Congo’s Ituri Province before spreading to Uganda. That update was shared through another X post.
The outlet further noted that Bundibugyo ebolavirus has generally shown lower fatality rates than the Zaire strain but remains highly dangerous, with prior documented outbreaks in 2007 and 2012.
No vaccine or treatment currently exists for the new Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, according to the report. However, Medical Xpress reported Monday that “Chinese scientists have developed a new broad-spectrum mRNA vaccine that could provide long-term protection against the most lethal family of Ebola viruses, including the Bundibugyo strain behind the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.”
The developments place health officials under growing pressure to contain transmission in affected African countries while the United States evaluates travel restrictions, screening protocols and follow-up monitoring for people arriving from the region.
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