WHO Urges Countries to Tighten Ebola Surveillance as DRC Outbreak Spreads Without Vaccine

DRC, 22 May 2026 - The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries across Africa and beyond to strengthen Ebola surveillance, warning that the fast-growing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda is unfolding in one of the “most challenging operational environments possible”.

In new emergency recommendations issued on Friday, WHO said the outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola now poses a major international public health threat, even as no approved vaccine or treatment currently exists for the virus.

The UN health agency declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17 after cases spread from eastern DRC into neighbouring Uganda.

Unlike previous Ebola outbreaks, health officials say the Bundibugyo strain presents a tougher challenge because existing Ebola vaccines do not work against it.

“While candidate therapeutics are considered for clinical trials and work is ongoing to fast-track candidate vaccines evaluation, the control of the epidemic relies on scaling-up public health interventions,” WHO stated.

The agency warned that controlling the outbreak will depend heavily on rapid detection, community trust and coordinated border surveillance rather than medicine alone.

WHO described the situation in eastern DRC as “Very high” risk, while Uganda was classified as “High” risk.

Uganda has so far reported two confirmed cases linked to infections traced back to affected areas in the DRC, although no onward transmission has yet been recorded there.

The health agency is now calling on countries sharing borders with affected regions to urgently activate emergency response systems, increase testing capacity and prepare rapid response teams.

WHO also advised governments to strengthen screening at airports, ports and land border crossings without shutting down travel routes.

“At the time these temporary recommendations are issued, neither the suspension of flights… nor denial of entry to travellers and conveyances arriving from those States Parties, are recommended,” the agency stated.

Instead, countries have been advised to intensify traveller screening, monitor unexplained fevers and quickly isolate suspected cases.

WHO warned that weak public trust could undermine response efforts if communities feel targeted or punished during containment operations.