Congo’s Ebola outbreak has most cases in first month of any African outbreak, WHO says
The WHO reports that the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has seen the highest number of cases in its first month of any African outbreak. Health officials are calling for an expanded response to contain the virus in displacement camps.
Why it matters
Rapid containment of infectious diseases is critical to preventing large-scale humanitarian crises and global health threats.
Congo’s Ebola outbreak has the largest number of confirmed cases in the first month of any Ebola outbreak in Africa, a senior World Health Organisation (WHO) official told a briefing on Tuesday (June 23, 2026). The Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has infected over 1,000 people and killed 267 was detected late and experts say the virus had already been circulating for months before it was officially declared on May 15. “The response needs to expand to keep pace with the expanding outbreak - this is beginning to happen,” WHO’s Abdirahman Mahamud told a press briefing in Geneva after returning from the outbreak’s epicentre Bunia last week.
The article relies on official reports from the WHO and CDC regarding a public health crisis.
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