Global Ebola Response
WHO launches $518M plan to combat Ebola outbreak spreading in DRC.
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The World Health Organization and Africa CDC have launched a $518 million, six-month plan to stop a fast-moving Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo — one that has already crossed into Uganda and spread to new regions. WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17, as confirmed cases reached at least 381 in the DRC and 19 in Uganda, with 64 and 2 deaths respectively.
Unlike recent outbreaks, this one involves the Bundibugyo strain — a rare form of Ebola with no licensed vaccine or treatment. The strain kills between 30% and 50% of those infected, according to WHO. The epicenter is Ituri province in eastern DRC, a conflict zone where over 120 armed groups operate and health workers face daily danger.
A Rare Ebola Strain With No Vaccine Fuels the Crisis
The Bundibugyo strain was first found in Uganda in 2007. It has caused only two prior outbreaks — both involving fewer than 200 cases — which means scientists have very limited data on it, according to Gavi. That lack of research makes it far harder to fight. There are no approved vaccines, no proven treatments, and no large clinical trials to draw from.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus put it plainly on June 5: "The only way to beat this outbreak is through close partnership... guided by a simple principle: one plan, one budget, one team." Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya added: "Ebola moves fast. Africa must move faster," according to Africa CDC.
$518M Plan Targets Labs, Burials, and Border Surveillance
The joint response plan will fund laboratory testing, infection control, and stronger surveillance across the DRC and its neighbors, according to Al Jazeera. It also covers safe and dignified burials — a critical step, since touching the bodies of Ebola victims is one of the leading ways the virus spreads. Cross-border information sharing is a key piece as well.
Funding is coming from multiple sources. The U.S. has committed over $162 million in direct Ebola aid. The UN's emergency relief fund has added $60 million. Australia has contributed $5 million, according to ReliefWeb. WHO and Africa CDC are still working to close the remaining gap in the $518 million target.
Conflict, Aid Cuts, and Protests Slow the Response
Ituri province is not just medically challenged — it is a war zone. A 2025 peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda collapsed, and fighting has intensified. Health workers have faced at least three reported attacks on health centers, according to The Guardian. About 20% of current patients in some zones are healthcare workers themselves, according to CIDRAP.
Aid groups say the outbreak spread undetected for weeks partly because of cuts to global surveillance programs. The International Rescue Committee warned that "collapsing health services and drastic aid cuts" had left the region exposed. A separate flashpoint: a U.S.-funded Ebola quarantine facility planned in Kenya sparked violent protests and a court order pausing construction, according to Forbes.
Case Count Revised Down, but Officials Warn of Bigger Numbers Ahead
On June 2, WHO and the CDC cut the official case count from nearly 1,000 to 321 confirmed cases — not because fewer people were sick, but because of a backlog in lab testing, according to CIDRAP. Suspected cases had been counted before confirmation. Experts warn the real number is likely much higher, especially in remote mining zones where cases go unrecorded.
Dr. Anne Cori of Imperial College London warned that early fatality estimates can be "deeply misleading" given how many cases are missed in rural areas. Over 27 million people in the DRC already face severe food shortages, according to the International Rescue Committee. Officials say stopping this outbreak fast is not just a health issue — it is a matter of regional stability.
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