The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in response to the new Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which is spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. This decision places the health crisis at one of the organization's highest alert levels and triggers a package of coordinated measures on a global scale.
Although the official statement includes the mention of a “pandemic emergency ,” the WHO insists that, for now, the episode does not meet the formal criteria for a pandemic as defined in the International Health Regulations (IHR) of 2005. Even so, the increase in cases, the high mortality associated with the Bundibugyo virus, and the risk of regional spread have set off alarm bells in Africa and the rest of the world.
Data on the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The main focus of the outbreak is located in the northeastern province of Ituri , a mining area bordering Uganda and South Sudan. Data shared by the WHO and regional agencies indicate at least eight laboratory-confirmed cases , several hundred suspected cases, and more than 80 deaths possibly linked to the virus in this region.
Investigations point to several key transmission hotspots within Ituri: Bunia, the provincial capital ; the mining areas of Mongwalu and Rwampara ; and other nearby health districts with intense economic activity and very high daily mobility. The WHO itself emphasizes that the actual number of infections could be considerably higher than official records, due to the difficulty of access and the presence of numerous informal health facilities.
Outside of Ituri, Congolese authorities have reported at least one confirmed case of Ebola in Kinshasa , the capital, in a person who had traveled from the affected area. This news has raised further concerns about the potential impact of the disease in a densely populated urban environment with strong air and land connections to other African cities.
This episode adds to a long history of outbreaks in the African country: it is the seventeenth documented Ebola outbreak in the DRC since the virus was first identified in 1976. The last significant episode in Congolese territory occurred in late 2025, in Kasai province, and left dozens dead in a remote area.
Outbreak spreads to Uganda and poses a risk to the region
The outbreak has now crossed borders. Ugandan health authorities and the WHO have confirmed two laboratory-confirmed cases in Kampala , the capital of Uganda, including one death. Both patients had recently traveled from the Democratic Republic of Congo, demonstrating a clear connection to the Ituri cluster , although no direct epidemiological links have yet been established between them.
The Ugandan government reported that the body of a Congolese citizen who died in Kampala was repatriated to the DRC, while another person remains hospitalized in the capital under strict isolation measures. Ugandan authorities have insisted that there is “no cause for alarm” for the general population, but have reinforced protocols at health centers and major points of entry into the country.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned that the intense population movement between Ituri and neighboring countries significantly increases the risk of local and regional spread. The daily transit of traders, mining workers, and families crossing borders to visit relatives makes it very difficult to trace all contact chains without robust epidemiological surveillance.
In this context, countries bordering the DRC—including Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi, and the Central African Republic —have been designated as high-risk areas for expansion . African Union health authorities, along with the WHO and other international partners, warn that any delay in detecting new cases could facilitate the spread of the outbreak to other parts of the continent.
What is the Bundibugyo virus and why is it causing so much concern?
The Bundibugyo virus belongs to the Orthoebolavirus group , agents that can cause Ebola disease in humans. Six species are known to be related to Ebola, but only a few have been behind the major recent outbreaks: the Ebola virus (Zaire strain), the Sudan virus, and the Bundibugyo virus , responsible for the current crisis.
Unlike the Zaire strain, for which there are approved vaccines and treatments, there are currently no authorized vaccines or specific therapies against the Bundibugyo virus. Clinical trials with various drugs and vaccine candidates are still underway, so the response focuses on early supportive care : intensive rehydration, stabilization of vital functions, and management of complications.
The initial symptoms of Ebola are often nonspecific: high fever, muscle pain, general malaise, headache, and sore throat. As the disease progresses, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, skin rashes, and internal or external bleeding may appear , leading to multiple organ failure in the most severe cases. Transmission occurs through direct contact with bodily fluids (blood, vomit, feces, saliva, sweat, semen) of an infected or deceased person, as well as through contaminated materials.
The exact mortality rate linked to the Bundibugyo variant varies depending on the outbreak, but estimates from medical organizations such as Doctors Without Borders point to a rate of between 25% and 40%. The WHO places the average mortality rate for Ebola, including different strains, at around 50% of cases , with values that can range from 25% to 90% depending on the care received and the healthcare context.
Historically, this is the third documented outbreak involving the Bundibugyo virus , following outbreaks in Uganda between 2007 and 2008 and in the DRC in 2012. Across Africa, an estimated 15.000 people have died from various Ebola outbreaks in the last 50 years, with a particularly severe impact in West Africa during the major epidemic of 2014–2016 and in North Kivu and Ituri between 2018 and 2020. For broader context, see the history of major health crises.
Why the WHO declares an international health emergency
The designation of “public health emergency of international concern” is the official mechanism used by the WHO to warn the world that an outbreak poses a significant risk beyond the borders of the affected country. In this case, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has emphasized that the current situation constitutes an “extraordinary event” requiring a coordinated response.
Factors influencing the decision include the sustained increase in suspected cases and deaths , the identified transmission in several health zones within Ituri, the detection of infections in Kampala, and the possibility that the actual number of infected individuals is “much higher” than reflected in preliminary reports. The high proportion of positive samples in initial laboratory tests reinforces the perception that the outbreak is far from being under control.
The WHO also points to the complex security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as a key factor . Ituri is a region marked by episodes of armed violence, the presence of rebel groups, and internal displacement, which complicates the work of healthcare teams. The combination of high mobility, urban environments, and an extensive network of unregulated health centers allows the disease to spread undetected.
Added to this are the probable infections among healthcare workers , with several professionals having died in circumstances consistent with viral hemorrhagic fever. According to the WHO, this situation indicates deficiencies in infection prevention and control measures within hospitals and clinics, a problem already seen in previous Ebola epidemics and one that could accelerate the number of cases if not urgently addressed.
The declaration of a state of emergency entails a formal call to all Member States to strengthen their preparedness and surveillance , especially those with travel and trade links to the affected region. The aim is to prevent the disease from taking hold in new countries and to ensure that, should imported cases appear, they are detected and isolated as quickly as possible.
International response and measures underway
Following the declaration, the WHO has called on the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda to activate their national disaster and emergency management mechanisms , establish emergency operations centers, and maintain a single command to coordinate all stakeholders. It emphasizes the need for contact tracing teams, laboratories capable of conducting rapid tests, and specialized treatment units near transmission hotspots.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has convened an urgent high-level meeting with the WHO, the US CDC, China, Europe, and other international partners. The purpose is to align surveillance criteria, share real-time data, and define what kind of technical and logistical support different countries and organizations can offer.
From the humanitarian sector, organizations like Doctors Without Borders are preparing to expand their presence in the Ituri province. The NGO warns that many affected communities already suffer from limited access to healthcare and live in contexts of constant insecurity, making it “essential to act quickly” to prevent the outbreak from spiraling out of control and causing an even greater number of victims.
Meanwhile, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced the deployment of teams from its offices in Uganda and the DRC, as well as additional support from Atlanta. These teams are collaborating on epidemiological surveillance, laboratory analysis, and training for local healthcare workers to strengthen infection prevention measures.
The WHO, for its part, has begun to reinforce its logistics on the ground by sending medical supplies. A convoy of approximately 18 tons of equipment has departed from the organization's emergency centers in Dakar, Senegal, and Nairobi, Kenya, bound for Bunia, the provincial capital of Ituri. The shipment includes personal protective equipment, diagnostic kits, sample collection materials, tents, and hospital beds, among other resources.
WHO recommendations and possible implications for Europe
In its most recent guidelines, the WHO states that confirmed cases should be isolated and treated immediately until two specific tests for the Bundibugyo virus, performed at least 48 hours apart, are negative. This strategy aims to break the chains of transmission and reduce the risk of infection within healthcare facilities and in the community.
For countries neighboring the affected areas , the United Nations agency recommends strengthening the reporting of suspected cases, improving surveillance mechanisms at border crossings, and training healthcare personnel in the rapid identification of symptoms consistent with Ebola. It emphasizes the importance of having clear protocols for the safe handling of deceased individuals, one of the moments of greatest exposure to the virus.
Outside of Central Africa, including European Union member states and Spain, the WHO maintains that closing borders or broadly restricting travel or trade is not advisable . In its view, such decisions are often based on fear rather than scientific evidence and can push travelers to use informal routes without adequate health checks, ultimately increasing the risk of international spread.
For Europe, the main focus is on the early detection of potential imported cases , especially among travelers who have recently been to the Democratic Republic of Congo or Uganda and are exhibiting symptoms consistent with Ebola. European airports and ports have protocols in place for coordinating with national health authorities, including the immediate isolation of suspected cases and the tracing of close contacts if necessary.
European health authorities, together with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) , can also play a significant role in providing technical support and funding for the response in Africa, channeling resources to areas with the most fragile health systems. The EU's and Spain's prior experience in managing imported cases during previous outbreaks can serve as a reference for adjusting preparedness and response plans for biological emergencies.
At a time when the true number of infected individuals and the geographic extent of the outbreak remain shrouded in uncertainty, the combination of international surveillance, logistical support on the ground, and cooperation between countries will be crucial to curbing the spread of the Bundibugyo virus. The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda underscores the need for sustained investment in resilient health systems, both in Africa and globally, so that the next health emergency can be detected earlier and addressed more effectively.
