Expert warns Ebola outbreak could become regional pandemic

Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo could become a major regional pandemic, according to former CDC director Robert Redfield. He warned that the disease could spread to several neighbouring countries in East Africa.

“I predict this will become a significant pandemic. It may spread to Tanzania, South Sudan, and even Rwanda,” Redfield said, according to The Independent on Monday, 25 May 2026.

He said the Ebola outbreak is highly significant and a concern for international health organisations. However, he expressed regret over the slow initial response to the outbreak.

“This is a highly significant outbreak but it wasn’t detected promptly. I don’t know why, as the spread was only detected after over 100 cases,” he said.

The outbreak, which is believed to have started in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, has likely killed more than 130 people. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern last weekend, but has not yet declared it a pandemic emergency.

“Investigations are ongoing to determine exactly when and where the outbreak began. Given its scale, we estimate it likely started several months ago,” said WHO technical officer for viral threats, Anais Legand.