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Ebola: What to know after WHO declares health emergency

02:09

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Nita Blake-Persen
May 17, 2026

Officials have reported 88 deaths and hundreds more suspected cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There is concern about the rapid spread of the virus, which has now appeared in neighboring Uganda.

Dozens have died in a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province, with cases likely spreading weeks before the official announcement.

The highly contagious Bundibugyo strain, which has no vaccine, has already reached the capital Kinshasa and neighboring Uganda.

Limited testing suggests the true scale may be far larger, as conflict, displacement and poor access make containment increasingly difficult, experts warn.

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