WHO Chief Arrives in Congo as Ebola Outbreak Shows 30-50% Death Rate

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is in the DRC to address an Ebola outbreak with a 30-50% death rate and over 1,000 suspected cases. The response to the Bundibugyo strain, which has no vaccine, is hampered by armed conflict and local attacks on health centers. Uganda has closed its border, while a US plan to quarantine exposed Americans in Kenya has been halted by a Kenyan court, complicating international containment efforts.

DRC Ebola death rate

• ▪The deadliest Ebola outbreak in the DRC occurred between 2018 and 2020, killing nearly 2,300 people from 3,500 cases
• ▪This is the 17th recorded Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the disease was first identified in 1976
• ▪The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola has an average fatality rate of 30% to 50%
• ▪As of May 26, 2026, Congo’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center reported 1,077 suspected cases and 238 suspected deaths

Armed conflict complicating response

• ▪Residents have launched at least three attacks on health centers due to anger over medical protocols for handling victims' bodies
• ▪Active armed groups in the region include the Allied Democratic Force (ADF) and the Rwanda-backed M23

WHO containment operations

• ▪Three Red Cross volunteers in Ituri province are believed to have died from Ebola on March 27, 2026, over a month before the first officially cited death
• ▪Medical aid donated by the European Union arrived in Ituri province on May 28, 2026
• ▪The United States announced an additional $80 million in aid, bringing its total commitment to the regional response to over $112 million

US-Kenya quarantine facility dispute

• ▪The U.S. announced a temporary ban on entry for non-U.S. passport holders who have visited Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past 21 days