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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Good news, bad news on Ebola: Uganda has officially been declared free of the Bundibugyo strain after just 20 cases and 2 deaths. But in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, the outbreak is still accelerating — now the second-deadliest ever — with over 5,600 cases and 2,700 deaths, and a critical $30 million funding gap threatening to stall containment efforts.
Good news from Uganda, grim news from Congo
The WHO confirmed this week that Uganda's Ebola outbreak is officially over. The Bundibugyo strain caused 20 cases and 2 deaths before being contained, with WHO monitoring through late August to ensure no hidden transmission chains remained. It's a meaningful win in a region under serious strain.
The situation across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a very different story. The outbreak there has now become the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak in history, with transmission still "very active" despite some recent progress in contact tracing and testing. Encouragingly, genetic analyses of the Bundibugyo virus show no signs of mutation — but the spread remains deeply concerning.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: Without urgent funding, the hard-won momentum in Congo could collapse. WHO officials warn that stalling now risks allowing one of history's worst Ebola outbreaks to spiral further out of control.
