Kampala, Uganda — Amid the ongoing Ebola crisis, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is addressing an alarming acceleration of the outbreak.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm, indicating that the pace of the virus’s spread in the DRC has surpassed any previous Ebola outbreak on record.
As of June 17, 2026, the DRC reported 896 confirmed cases of Bundibugyo virus disease, with 232 deaths. This surge in cases is compounded by the lack of an available vaccine or specific treatment for this particular strain of Ebola.
In stark contrast, neighboring Uganda is experiencing a reversal in the Ebola outbreak.
The country’s health ministry announced that the last remaining Ebola patient had been discharged, commencing a 42-day countdown to being declared virus-free.
The WHO Director — General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, emphasized the urgency of the situation in the DRC, noting that the current outbreak is expanding at an unprecedented rate.
The 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak in the DRC took over 10 months to reach 2,000 confirmed cases, whereas this time, the same number was reached in just two months.
The challenges in the DRC are multifaceted, including delayed detection, low levels of contact tracing, and the complex humanitarian crisis.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has warned that the actual size of the outbreak could be far greater than reported figures. While Uganda’s progress in managing the outbreak is commendable, the country is not out of the woods yet.
The Ugandan government, along with the WHO and partners, has been implementing extensive response measures, including surveillance, contact tracing, and community engagement.
The rapid spread of Ebola in the DRC has raised concerns about the potential for regional and international spread.
The WHO has called for increased international support to help contain the outbreak, including financial and technical assistance.
As the situation evolves, the world watches closely to see how the DRC and neighboring countries will manage to contain the outbreak and prevent further loss of life.
The stark differences between the DRC’s ongoing crisis and Uganda’s progress serve as a stark reminder of the complexities involved in responding to a rapidly spreading infectious disease in challenging contexts.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: aljazeera
Source: Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and Reuters
