DRC Ebola outbreak expands to Bunia, Uganda as isolation beds fall short

Local healthcare workers in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo, completed an accelerated training session on June 11, 2026, on the proper use of single-use personal protective equipment at the Scott Powell Memorial Ebola Treatment Center. The session came as the World Health Organization warned that the Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, is spreading into new health zones across Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, with cases also appearing in Uganda.

Since the outbreak was declared on May 15, 2026, the DRC has recorded 676 confirmed Ebola cases, 136 deaths, 119 suspected cases and 32 recoveries. Uganda has reported 19 confirmed cases and two deaths, which the African Union's health agency says is under control. Isolation bed capacity in the affected provinces stands at only 250 beds, far below what is needed as the virus spreads, and contact tracing has reached just over 70 percent—still insufficient to stop transmission. No approved vaccines or treatments exist for this Ebola strain.

For Nigerians, the expanding outbreak raises the risk of importation through travel or trade, underscoring the need for heightened surveillance at points of entry and support for regional disease-response efforts.

Will you advocate for increased funding to scale up isolation beds and contact tracing in Central Africa, or adjust your travel plans to avoid affected areas until the outbreak is contained?

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/06/12/ebola-spreading-into-new-areas-in-northeast-dr-congo-who/