WHO raises Congo Ebola risk to 'very high' as outbreak spreads and severity increases

The World Health Organization raised the Democratic Republic of Congo’s national Ebola risk to “very high” on May 22, saying the Bundibugyo strain outbreak was spreading rapidly and growing in severity. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a Geneva media briefing that the regional risk remained “high” and the global risk “low.” He said there were “almost 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths,” alongside 82 confirmed cases and seven confirmed deaths. ### Why did WHO change the risk level now? Tedros said on May 22 that WHO upgraded the risk inside Congo because the outbreak was expanding and the agency believed the epidemic was “much larger” than the confirmed tally suggested. Reuters, AP and U.N. coverage of the briefing said the change applied at the national level in Congo, not globally. (who.int) WHO’s outbreak page said the 2026 epidemic was confirmed in both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda in May and was unfolding in a difficult setting marked by insecurity, humanitarian strain, and dense population centers. The agency said the virus involved was the Bundibugyo species, for which there is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment. ### What are the numbers officials are using? (msn.com) WHO’s May 22 briefing gave the headline figures most widely cited: almost 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths in Congo, plus 82 confirmed cases and seven confirmed deaths. Tedros said Uganda’s situation was stable, with two confirmed imported cases and one death. (who.int) The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a May 22 situation update that the DRC and Uganda ministries of health were reporting 744 suspected cases, 83 confirmed cases and 176 suspected deaths. CDC also said a new confirmed case had appeared in South Kivu, after earlier confirmed cases in Ituri and North Kivu. The one-case difference from WHO’s briefing appears to reflect the speed at which the counts were changing. (who.int) ### Where is the outbreak spreading? CDC said on May 22 that confirmed cases had previously been reported in Ituri and North Kivu provinces and that a new confirmed case had now been identified in South Kivu. Bloomberg and other reports said the outbreak therefore involved three provinces inside Congo. WHO’s May 17 emergency notice said the outbreak had already affected at least three health zones in Ituri province, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu. (cdc.gov) U.N. News said emergency staff, funding and supplies were being moved into eastern Congo as the response scaled up. ### Why are health officials especially concerned about this strain? WHO said the outbreak was caused by Bundibugyo ebolavirus, a less common Ebola species than the Zaire strain that has driven several past outbreaks. WHO and CDC both said there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo, though WHO said work was underway to test promising candidates. (who.int) Reuters reporting carried by other outlets said WHO officials were examining existing treatment options under strict protocols. That means the response is relying on surveillance, isolation, contact tracing and supportive care while researchers assess whether available tools can help against this species. ### Has the outbreak spread beyond Congo? (who.int) Tedros said on May 22 that Uganda had confirmed two cases in people who traveled from Congo, including one death, but added that the situation there was stable. He also said an American national who had been working in Congo tested positive and was transferred to Germany for care. (france24.com) CDC said no Ebola cases linked to this outbreak had been reported in the United States and that the risk to the general public remained low. WHO’s current posture, as of May 22, was “very high” nationally in Congo, “high” regionally and “low” globally. ### What comes next in the response? WHO’s outbreak page said response operations were continuing in Congo and Uganda as of May 22, with surveillance, research, logistics and partner coordination listed as active workstreams. (who.int) CDC said the situation was “rapidly evolving” and that case counts were subject to change. The next public markers are likely to come from updated ministry of health tallies in Congo and Uganda, plus further WHO situation reports and media briefings tied to the May outbreak response. (cdc.gov) (who.int)