Ebola spreading more quickly in DRC, while Uganda is close to being virus-free

The WHO reports that the current Ebola outbreak in the DRC is spreading at an unprecedented rate, with over 2,000 cases confirmed in just two months. While Uganda is nearing virus-free status, the DRC continues to struggle with transmission chains in conflict-prone provinces.
Why it matters
Rapid transmission of infectious diseases in unstable regions poses a significant threat to global public health security.
Uganda discharges last-remaining patient, as WHO says Ebola has ‘expanded faster than any previous outbreak’ in DRC.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info A doctor at the Rwampara Ebola Treatment Centre in Bunia in Ituri province, the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak in DRC [File: AFP] By Al Jazeera Staff , AFP and Reuters Published On 16 Jul 2026 16 Jul 2026 The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Ebola is spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo more quickly than in any previous outbreak.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters on Thursday that the Ebola outbreak in the DRC in 2018-2020 “took more than 10 months to reach 2,000 confirmed cases”. But this time, it took only two months for there to be over 2,000 confirmed cases .
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