Ebola Outbreak Driven by Bundibugyo Variant Escalates in DRC and Reaches Uganda

Overview

• The outbreak, first detected in mid‑May in northeastern Ituri province, has spread to four more DRC provinces and into Uganda and is now one of the largest Ebola events on record.
• WHO field teams report rapid recent growth including days with more than 80 confirmed cases and estimate the true number of infections may be two to four times higher than official counts.
• Official data list roughly 1,900–1,960 infections and over 700 deaths but WHO says many recent fatalities occurred in the community without reaching health services, pointing to major detection gaps.
• The WHO has expanded treatment beds, laboratory testing and contact tracing but has received only about 40% of the roughly US$115 million it requested, leaving response capacity strained.
• The outbreak is driven by the rare Bundibugyo variant for which no proven vaccine or treatment exists, so health authorities stress isolation, testing, traveler surveillance and support for affected communities as priorities.