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Ebola Outbreak Statistics (May 2026)
Reported Ebola cases and deaths in the DRC/Uganda region.
Primary Sources
Uganda Announces Ebola Control Measures Following Imported Cases From DRC
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary, Dr.Diana Atwine addresses the nation on new Ebola control measures. Uganda has introduced a series of urgent public health measures following the confirmation of imported Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases linked to travellers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).The announcement was made by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Diana Atwine, who communicated the resolutions of a National Task Force meeting convened under the leadership of Vice President Jessica Alupo.According to the Ministry of Health, the country has so far recorded two imported Ebola cases involving Congolese nationals who entered Uganda from the DRC. One of the patients has died, while the second remains under medical care and is reportedly recovering.Health officials clarified that the recovering patient had undergone repeat testing on May 18 and May 20, 2026, both of which returned negative results for Ebola Virus Disease. The patient is currently being managed for other underlying health conditions.Strict containment and border control measuresIn response to the situation, the National Task Force approved several containment measures aimed at reducing the risk of further transmission, particularly along the Uganda–DRC border.These include intensified mass risk awareness and sensitization on infection prevention and control, and observation of the Mass Gathering SOPs issued by the MoH for the entire Country, using Radios, TVs, Social media, Cultural Institutions, Religious Institutions, and Local Government Structures, enhanced screening and testing capacity along the DRC borderline based on risk assessment and enhanced Death Reporting in all districts with more emphasis on the High-risk districts along the Uganda DRC border and the Kampala Metropolitan Area.The government will also temporary suspend Public Passenger Service on Ferries on the Semliki River, cross-border bus services, and all public passenger transport between Uganda and the DRC for four weeks. Only goods and food transport will be allowed.Additionally, all flights between Uganda and the DRC will be suspended within 48 hours of the announcement.Suspension of gatherings and market activitiesTo reduce large-scale transmission risks, cultural celebrations and public gatherings along the DRC-Uganda Border will be temporarily suspended. Weekly markets in border sub-counties of the high-risk districts will also be suspended for the next four weeks.Authorities have fu...
Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda: What you need to know
As Ebola cases spread across eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and into Uganda, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has launched a response to protect vulnerable communities and support an already overstretched health system.Here's what you need to know about Ebola, the current outbreak, and how the IRC is launching an emergency response to support infection prevention and control efforts. What is Ebola?Ebola is a virus characterized by fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, and in some patients, bleeding. Initial symptoms are nonspecific, making it difficult to diagnose quickly and patients can take up to 21 days to develop them at all. The virus is contracted through direct exposure to bodily fluids from an infected person or a contaminated animal. People are not infectious until they develop symptoms, but Ebola becomes most contagious in the disease's late stages. According to the World Health Organization, the virus remains contagious for up to three days after a victim dies which is why burial practices can contribute to new cases spreading.Patients who receive early treatment have a higher chance of survival and are less likely to infect others. What is the new strain of Ebola?This outbreak is happening in one of the most difficult places to run a health response.As of mid-May 2026, health authorities have recorded dozens of deaths and hundreds of suspected cases in the DRC. Two confirmed cases and one death have also been reported in Uganda, both linked to travel from DRC.The World Health Organization has declared this a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) — the highest level of global health alert, reserved for outbreaks that pose a serious risk beyond the country where they started.What makes this outbreak especially alarming is the specific strain of Ebola involved. It's called the Bundibugyo strain, and laboratory analysis indicates that unlike the strains the world has dealt with before, there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved targeted treatment for it. In past outbreaks, vaccines were a critical tool. Here, that option doesn't currently exist. That means stopping this outbreak depends entirely on finding cases fast, isolating people who are sick, and keeping health workers protected.As Heather Kerr, IRC DRC Country Director, put it: "Every delay has a human cost." A health worker screens patients for Ebola symptoms at Beni Hospital, North Kivu, DR...
New Ebola outbreak hits DRC and Uganda: What you need to know
By Becca Mountain May 20, 2026 The CARE DRC team is distributing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other supplies to support infection prevention measures and protect healthcare workers in the Komanda Health Zone. Photo: Mussa Kachunga Stanis/CARE Families in the eastern DRC and Uganda are facing a new Ebola outbreak alongside conflict, displacement, hunger, and fragile health systems. CARE and local partners are supporting preparedness efforts, with a focus on sharing trusted information, supporting infection prevention, and addressing the heightened risks facing women and girls. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) declared its 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15, 2026, after cases were confirmed in Ituri Province. The region is already heavily affected by conflict, displacement, hunger, and limited access to healthcare and other basic services, all of which make it harder to stop the spread of disease. This outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, a type of Ebola for which there is currently no approved vaccine. That makes rapid detection, community engagement, and prevention efforts especially important. As of May 19, authorities reported 536 suspected cases, 105 probable cases, 34 confirmed cases, and 134 deaths. However, health experts believe the virus may have been spreading undetected for two to three weeks before the outbreak was officially declared, raising concerns that transmission may be more widespread than current confirmed numbers reflect. The World Health Organization has classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, highlighting the risk of regional spread. Suspected cases have already been reported in Goma, a major transit hub in the DRC, and in Uganda, which shares a busy border with the DRC. People regularly cross between nations for work, family visits, trade, health care, and religious gatherings. While this movement is essential to daily life, it can also increase the risk of diseases spreading across borders. Humanitarian organizations are concerned that reduced funding across the region is straining already fragile health and water systems at a moment when rapid disease detection, community outreach, hygiene access, and public trust are especially critical Funding cuts have significantly reduced CARE’s operational capacity in DRC, weakening critical community-level disease surveillance and preparedness systems. In many affected communities, conflict and displacement have already limited acce...
Uganda tightens Ebola checks at DRC border crossings - YouTube
Uganda has stepped up screening measures at its border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo amid an Ebola outbreak in the neighbouring country. Health ...
