As Uganda discharges its final Ebola patient, the WHO warns that the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is expanding at an unprecedented rate.
Published On 16 Jul 2026
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an urgent warning regarding the rapid spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), noting that the current transmission rate exceeds that of any previous outbreak.
During a press briefing on Thursday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that while the 2018-2020 DRC outbreak took over ten months to reach 2,000 confirmed cases, the current crisis reached that milestone in just two months, resulting in 796 fatalities.
“This is now the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record,” Tedros stated. “Over the past month, its expansion has outpaced any previous outbreak we have seen.”
The DRC reported 62 new infections on Thursday, bringing the official confirmed total to 2,073. However, the WHO cautioned that the actual number of cases could be at least twice as high.
The nation’s 17th Ebola outbreak was officially declared on May 15 following several deaths in the Ituri province, a mineral-rich northeastern region currently patrolled by various armed factions.
The virus, which is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids, has been identified in five provinces within the DRC and in neighboring Uganda, though the majority of cases remain concentrated in Ituri.
The WHO chief emphasized a significant challenge in containment, noting that over 80 percent of new cases are being detected outside of known contact lists, suggesting that many transmission chains are remaining undetected.
Despite these challenges, he noted that 377 individuals have recovered in the DRC, highlighting that “with early diagnosis and safe care, this disease can be survived and stopped.”
Efforts in Ituri are further complicated by industrial action; healthcare workers began a strike on Wednesday, blocking the entrance to Bunia General Hospital. The staff cited a lack of compensation for their work since the start of the outbreak, despite operating under extremely hazardous conditions.
In contrast, Uganda is nearing a significant milestone. The nation’s health ministry announced that the last remaining Ebola patient was discharged on Thursday. This begins a 42-day observation period, after which the country can officially be declared Ebola-free.
Since mid-May, Uganda has recorded 20 cases of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, 15 of which were individuals who had traveled from the DRC.
While the situation escalates in the DRC, Uganda has not reported a single new case since June 22.
“Today, Uganda has discharged the last Ebola patient, a Congolese national who has successfully recovered and is ready to be with his family,” the Ugandan health ministry shared on X.
“Uganda begins its countdown. If 42 days pass without a new case, WHO guidelines dictate that we will be declared Ebola-free.”
