An alarming variant of the Ebola virus has ignited a global health crisis, swiftly advancing through central Africa and reaching major urban centers, health authorities cautioned on Saturday.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Bundibugyo Ebolavirus outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern” following a spike in cases across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and into Uganda.
The WHO highlighted “considerable uncertainties regarding the actual number of infected individuals and the geographic spread,” along with a “limited understanding of how victims are epidemiologically connected.”
The organization’s analysis suggests that the outbreak may be significantly larger than current reports indicate.
UN health officials have described the situation as an “extraordinary” threat, raising alarms due to unusual patterns in community fatalities and the deaths of four healthcare workers.
The WHO is airlifting five metric tons of supplies, including infection prevention and control materials, laboratory sample transportation equipment, tents and other supplies currently available in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, to Bunia in the Congo’s Ituri Province, where at least 80 suspected deaths and nearly 250 suspected cases have been reported across three health zones, including mining hotspots Mongbwalu and Rwampara.
Initial testing yielded a staggering positivity rate, with 8 out of 13 samples collected by the Congolese National Institute of Biomedical Research coming back positive.
Officials admitted they are flying blind against a potentially massive, hidden outbreak — and warned there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments to stop it, unlike the more common Zaire strain of Ebola.
The current outbreak does not meet the operational definition of a “pandemic emergency.” However, invisible killer has already breached major population centers.
Infected travelers have brought the virus directly into the Ugandan capital of Kampala, where two patients were rushed into intensive care.
This marks the 17th recorded outbreak of Ebola disease in the Congo since the virus was first identified. The last outbreak of Ebola disease ended in December 2025, according to the World Health Organization.
The Bundibugyo strain was first identified in Uganda in 2007, where it killed 32% of those infected.
“The Democratic Republic of the Congo has extensive experience responding to Ebola outbreaks, and WHO is rapidly scaling up support to the ongoing response,” said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, in a statement.
“Working closely with national authorities and partners, we are mobilizing swiftly, deploying additional expertise and resources to halt the spread of the virus, protect and save lives.”