Ebola Outbreak May Be Larger, Faster-Spreading Than Early Data Showed, WHO Says

The U.S. government announced Tuesday it will fund up to 50 Ebola treatment clinics in Congo and Uganda to expand screening, triage, and isolation capacity.

Kelly McBride Ni

Published: 5/20/2026, 10:20:37 AM EDT

Ebola Outbreak May Be Larger, Faster-Spreading Than Early Data Showed, WHO Says — A man is carried from an ambulance as he arrives at Bunia General Referral Hospital following confirmation of an Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 16, 2026. (Victoire Mukenge/Reuters)

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday he was concerned over the “scale and speed” of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where officials have reported more than 500 suspected cases and more than 130 suspected deaths linked to the Bundibugyo strain.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was “deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic,” citing the outbreak’s spread in eastern Congo and confirmed cross-border spread into Uganda.

Health officials said the outbreak may have circulated undetected for weeks before laboratory confirmation. Initial testing in Congo returned negative Ebola results before genomic analysis identified the Bundibugyo virus, according to the WHO.

WHO said cases have also emerged in urban areas and among health workers, complicating containment efforts in regions already affected by insecurity, displacement, and population movement.

The head of WHO’s response team in Congo, Dr. Anne Ancia, said authorities have not identified “patient zero” and warned that containment may take months. She said the Ervebo vaccine, used against other Ebola strains, is under consideration but would take time to deploy if authorized.

“I don’t see that in two months we will be done with this outbreak,” she said.

Parts of eastern Congo have been difficult to access due to armed conflict, further complicating surveillance and response operations.

A modeling report published on May 18 by the MRC Center for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College London, in collaboration with WHO researchers, suggested the outbreak may be significantly larger than detected through early surveillance. Researchers estimated that between 400 and 800 cases of Bundibugyo virus disease may have occurred in Congo as of May 17, with the total potentially exceeding 1,000.

US Expands Support in Congo

The U.S. government announced Tuesday it will fund up to 50 Ebola treatment clinics in Congo and Uganda to expand screening, triage, and isolation capacity. The State Department said the effort aims to strengthen outbreak containment and support frontline health systems.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert Network advisory for clinicians, laboratories, and travelers, and said the risk to the United States remains low. No cases linked to the outbreak have been confirmed in the United States.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States has rapidly mobilized resources in coordination with the United Nations to support the response.

Evangelist Franklin Graham asked for prayers for Dr. Peter Stafford, a missionary physician evacuated from Congo after testing positive for Ebola. The CDC confirmed an American who was exposed while working in Congo has been transferred to Germany for treatment.

“Please also pray for his wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, and their four children,” Graham said. “The Staffords now serve with Serge but were part of our Samaritan’s Purse Post-Residency Program several years ago.”

The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a type of the virus with no licensed vaccine or approved targeted treatment. Scientists have identified six known Ebola virus strains, but only the Zaire ebolavirus strain has an approved vaccine.

US Travel Restrictions

The U.S. State Department issued travel advisories for several countries in the region, including Level 4 “Do Not Travel” warnings for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan.

The U.S. government also imposed a 30-day suspension of entry for foreign nationals who have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past 21 days.

U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are exempt, but arrivals from the region are subject to enhanced screening and public health monitoring.

The Confederation of African Football announced on May 18 the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s squad for its World Cup qualifying campaign. The team has not announced any cancellations, despite continued cross-border travel for international competition amid tightening health restrictions in the region.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.