Ebola prompts U.S., regional responses

The World Health Organization declared on May 17 that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda is a public health emergency of international concern, after confirmed cases were reported in Ituri province and in Kampala. WHO said the outbreak involves Bundibugyo virus, a species of orthoebolavirus, and cited the risk of international spread. The U.S. government responded with emergency coordination steps, travel restrictions and aid commitments. East African response agencies and international partners also moved to tighten surveillance at borders and transport corridors. ### Why did WHO elevate this outbreak on May 17? WHO said the emergency designation followed confirmed Ebola cases in northeastern Congo and Uganda, including two laboratory-confirmed cases in Kampala reported within 24 hours of each other on May 15 and 16 among travelers from Congo. As of May 16, WHO said eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths had been reported in Ituri province across at least three health zones: Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu. (who.int) WHO said the outbreak was considered extraordinary because of cross-border spread, suspected infections among health workers and the possibility of wider transmission linked to population movement. The agency said a reported case in Kinshasa later tested negative on confirmatory testing and was not considered a confirmed case. (who.int) ### What has the United States actually done so far? The U.S. State Department said on May 18 that it had set up an interagency coordination cell and incident management system in Washington within 24 hours of learning of the confirmed cases. The department said embassies in Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda had established monitoring groups and that senior officials were holding daily leadership-level meetings. (who.int) The State Department also said it worked with CDC on a May 18 Title 42 order prohibiting travel to the United States for foreign nationals who had visited Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the previous 21 days. CDC separately said it and the Department of Homeland Security had implemented enhanced travel screening, entry restrictions and other public health measures to prevent Ebola from entering the United States. (state.gov) CDC said the overall risk to the American public and travelers remains low and that no U.S. cases linked to the outbreak had been confirmed inside the United States. The agency said an American exposed while caring for patients in Congo tested positive on May 17 and was being moved to Germany for treatment, along with high-risk contacts. ### What do the latest case numbers show? CDC said on May 18 that there were 11 confirmed cases and 336 suspected cases, including 88 deaths, in Congo, and two confirmed cases, including one death, in Uganda. (state.gov) CDC said no further spread had been reported at that point and described the situation as rapidly evolving. CDC said there is no vaccine for Bundibugyo virus and that treatment consists of supportive care. (cdc.gov) The agency said historical death rates for Bundibugyo virus have ranged from 25% to 50%. ### How are regional and international agencies trying to contain it? WHO’s Africa office said on May 17 that it had convened governments, technical agencies and aid groups to align response priorities and reinforce preparedness in affected and neighboring countries. (cdc.gov) The meeting included more than 220 participants from WHO, ministries of health, Africa CDC, U.N. agencies, humanitarian organizations and research institutions. The International Organization for Migration said it was supporting preparedness and surveillance at points of entry and along key cross-border corridors linking Congo, Uganda and South Sudan. WHO said Médecins Sans Frontières was supporting patient isolation and infection-prevention work in Mongbwalu and Bunia, while the World Food Programme said it was ready to support airlift operations between Kinshasa and Bunia for emergency supplies. (afro.who.int) ### Where does Kenya fit into the broader regional health conversation? WHO validated Kenya in August 2025 as having eliminated human African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, as a public health problem. WHO said Kenya was the 10th country to reach that milestone and the second neglected tropical disease eliminated in the country after Guinea worm disease. (afro.who.int) WHO said the recognition came after more than a decade without indigenous new cases, with the last locally acquired case detected in 2009. That milestone has resurfaced in regional health discussions this week as officials gather for the World Health Assembly while Ebola response measures intensify elsewhere in East and Central Africa. (who.int) CDC said additional information on enhanced U.S. travel security measures is forthcoming, and WHO said response teams and supplies were continuing to be mobilized in Congo and Uganda. The World Health Assembly runs from May 18 to May 23 in Geneva. (cdc.gov) (who.int)