Lead
As of 26 May 2026, health authorities report an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo ebolavirus affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. The DRC Ministry of Health reported on 25 May a total of 105 confirmed cases, including 10 deaths, and 906 suspected cases, including 223 deaths, across Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. Uganda has recorded seven confirmed cases, including one death, with several infections linked to recent travel from the DRC. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) says the risk to people living in the EU/EEA remains very low while it continues to monitor the situation.
Key takeaways
- DRC (25 May): 105 confirmed cases of Bundibugyo virus, including 10 confirmed deaths.
- DRC (25 May): 906 suspected cases reported, with 223 suspected-case deaths recorded in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu.
- Uganda: seven confirmed cases so far, including one death; several cases are travel-associated from eastern DRC.
- Italy (25 May): two travellers from Uganda to Lombardy were isolated in Milan with haemorrhagic-fever symptoms but laboratory tests ruled out Ebola.
- ECDC assessment (26 May 2026): likelihood of infection for people in the EU/EEA judged to be very low; situation under close surveillance.
- Cross-border movement and surveillance gaps in eastern DRC and border regions are key operational challenges for outbreak control.
Background
Bundibugyo ebolavirus is one of several species within the Ebola virus genus; it was first identified during an outbreak in Uganda in 2007. Historically, outbreaks in central and eastern Africa have been driven by zoonotic spillover events followed by human-to-human transmission in settings with limited resources for rapid detection and isolation. The provinces currently reporting cases in the DRC—Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu—have experienced repeated public-health emergencies and face humanitarian and security challenges that complicate response activities. Uganda shares porous land borders and frequent cross-border movement with eastern DRC, which increases the risk of travel-associated cases and requires coordinated regional surveillance.
Effective control of Ebola outbreaks typically relies on rapid case detection, isolation, contact tracing and community engagement, along with laboratory confirmation. Vaccines and therapeutics have been developed primarily against Zaire ebolavirus; the extent to which these countermeasures protect against Bundibugyo is limited or uncertain and remains an operational consideration for responders. International agencies, regional ministries of health and partner organisations typically combine laboratory networks, field teams and risk communication to limit spread. Timely, transparent reporting of confirmed and suspected cases is essential to guide public health measures and to inform travel and trade advisories.
Main event
On 25 May 2026 the DRC Ministry of Health published case counts for the affected provinces showing 105 laboratory-confirmed cases and 906 suspected cases; the confirmed-case deaths numbered 10 while suspected-case deaths numbered 223. Those figures reflect the reporting cut-off used by the DRC authorities; case classifications may change as laboratory results and investigations continue. In Uganda, national health authorities have confirmed seven cases, including one death, and have reported that several infections are linked to recent travel from the DRC. Cross-border tracing and screening have been intensified at key points of entry to identify potential chains of transmission.
Also on 25 May two travellers who had journeyed from Uganda to Lombardy, Italy, developed hemorrhagic-fever–compatible symptoms and were admitted to a hospital in Milan under isolation precautions. Regional health authorities arranged laboratory tests; results ruled out Ebola disease for both individuals and they remain under local clinical follow-up as appropriate. Italian authorities reported rapid isolation and testing as part of standard procedures for suspected viral haemorrhagic fever cases, and notified national and international partners.
The ECDC published an assessment on 26 May concluding that, given current data and screening measures, the probability of infection for residents of the EU/EEA is very low. ECDC also noted ongoing monitoring and pledged updates as new information becomes available, with weekly summaries appearing in its communicable disease threats report. National public-health institutes across Europe have been advised to maintain routine surveillance sensitivity and to follow established protocols for suspected haemorrhagic-fever cases.
Analysis & implications
The immediate public-health priority is interrupting transmission in affected communities through case finding, isolation, contact tracing and safe patient care. In eastern DRC, conflict and displacement can hinder access to patients and complicate contact-tracing efforts, increasing the risk of undetected transmission chains. Uganda’s identification of travel-associated cases underscores the need for cross-border coordination on screening, information sharing and joint outbreak response operations. Rapid laboratory confirmation and transparent case reporting will be crucial to reduce uncertainty about the outbreak’s trajectory.
For regional health systems, the human and logistical burden of a large suspected-case load—906 suspected cases reported in the DRC—can overwhelm local facilities and laboratory capacity, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment. International partners typically augment national response capacity with laboratory support, personal protective equipment, and training for safe clinical management. From an international standpoint, the ECDC’s assessment of very low risk for the EU/EEA is contingent on maintained surveillance at points of entry and robust clinical protocols for suspected cases.
Vaccine and therapeutic strategy is a complex factor: licensed Ebola countermeasures have been designed primarily against Zaire ebolavirus, and their efficacy against Bundibugyo is uncertain, which may limit options for ring vaccination or prophylaxis. Research-grade candidates and broader-spectrum therapeutics remain under evaluation, but deployment in the current event would depend on regulatory, logistical and ethical considerations. Continued genomic sequencing—if shared rapidly—would help trace transmission chains and inform whether interventions should be adjusted.
Comparison & data
| Location | Confirmed cases | Confirmed deaths | Suspected cases | Suspected deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRC (Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu) | 105 | 10 | 906 | 223 |
| Uganda | 7 | 1 | — | — |
| Italy (Lombardy, suspected travellers) | 0 (ruled out) | 0 | 2 (tested) | 0 |
The table above consolidates public figures reported by national authorities and the ECDC as of 25–26 May 2026. Differences between confirmed and suspected case counts highlight the current diagnostic workload and the possibility of reclassification as laboratory results arrive. Comparing current counts with prior regional outbreaks shows a smaller confirmed-case number to date, but the high number of suspected cases in the DRC signals continued transmission risk and the need for rapid testing. Monitoring trends over the coming weeks will show whether public-health measures are containing spread or if case counts rise further.
Reactions & quotes
Public-health agencies and local officials have emphasised vigilance while cautioning against alarm. Below are concise excerpts from official communications with context.
First, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control framed the event from a European preparedness perspective, stressing ongoing surveillance and risk assessment.
“We assess the likelihood of infection for people living in the EU/EEA to be very low,”
ECDC (agency update, 26 May 2026)
This statement accompanies continued ECDC monitoring and weekly reporting; the agency recommended that national authorities maintain routine detection and referral protocols for suspected haemorrhagic-fever cases.
Second, national reporting from the DRC Ministry of Health provided the case totals and a situational snapshot for the affected provinces.
“A total of 105 confirmed cases, including 10 deaths, and 906 suspected cases, including 223 deaths, have been reported,”
Ministry of Health, Democratic Republic of the Congo (official report, 25 May 2026)
That report serves as the principal source for the current case counts and is the basis for operational response priorities in the affected provinces.
Third, regional Italian health authorities described the rapid isolation and testing of two travellers arriving from Uganda; lab results subsequently excluded Ebola infection.
“Two people were hospitalised in isolation in Milan and laboratory testing ruled out Ebola disease,”
Regional health authority, Lombardy (local report, 25 May 2026)
The Italian response reflects standard infection-prevention protocols and cross-notification to national and international partners.
Unconfirmed
- Exact zoonotic source of the current outbreak has not been publicly confirmed and is under investigation.
- Comprehensive genomic-sequencing results to define transmission chains and viral lineage have not been widely published at the time of this report.
- The degree of vaccine or therapeutic protection against Bundibugyo virus in current clinical use remains uncertain pending specific efficacy data.
Bottom line
The outbreak in eastern DRC and linked cases in Uganda present an active public-health event driven by confirmed and a large number of suspected cases as of 25–26 May 2026. Local control measures—case detection, isolation, contact tracing and community engagement—are essential to interrupt transmission, and operational constraints in the affected provinces remain a concern. For Europe, the ECDC’s assessment of very low risk reflects current data and entry-point screening; that judgement will be revisited if case numbers, travel-associated infections or virological evidence change.
Stakeholders should watch for updated confirmed-case counts, the publication of genomic analyses, and any changes in cross-border transmission patterns. Continued transparency in reporting, rapid lab confirmation and strengthened coordination between the DRC, Uganda and regional partners will shape whether the outbreak is contained or expands in the coming weeks.
Sources
- ECDC — European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (EU agency; situation update, 26 May 2026)
- Ministry of Health, Democratic Republic of the Congo (official government reports, 25 May 2026)
- Ministry of Health, Uganda (official public-health communications)
- Regione Lombardia — Regional health authority (local report on suspected travellers to Milan)