On May 23, the Ministry of Communication and Media of the Democratic Republic of the Congo announced on its X account that the number of deaths attributable to Ebola has exceeded 200, and the number of probable infection cases is edging close to 900. Uganda has now reported five confirmed cases, reported Al Jazeera.
The first alerts of the outbreak began on May 5, and on May 17, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the outbreaks in DRC and Uganda “[constitute] a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC),” but has not yet declared an epidemic. The US officially withdrew from the WHO by order of Pres. Trump in January, 2026.
The Ebola virus is actually four strains, and all are life-threatening; they are classified as viral hemorrhagic fevers, which damage the blood vessels and can cause internal bleeding. The virus is spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.
