WHO: Ebola Outbreak Risk High at Regional Level, Low Globally

World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, stated that the risk of a deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is currently high at national and regional levels, but low at the global level. WHO experts indicated that although investigations into the outbreak’s origins are ongoing, the scale of the situation in the eastern DRC suggests the outbreak likely began several months ago before detection. The WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, declared this situation a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). This is the second-highest alarm level under the International Health Regulations (IHR), triggering emergency responses in various countries. While the Emergency Committee emphasised that the outbreak has not yet met the threshold to be categorised as a global pandemic, “the situation currently meets the criteria for an international health emergency, but we agreed that it does not meet the criteria for a pandemic,” said Lucille Blumberg, chair of the committee. Anais Legand, a WHO technical officer for the dengue virus, stated that the priority now is to break the chain of transmission. “Given its scale, we estimate the virus has been circulating for several months. Our focus is contact tracing, isolation, and care for all suspected and confirmed cases,” she explained. Tedros warned that case numbers are expected to continue rising given the duration the virus has circulated before health systems detected it. The outbreak has also caused political tensions. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticised the WHO for being somewhat slow to identify the deadly outbreak, amid the ongoing process of the US withdrawal from the WHO initiated by President Trump last year. Responding to the criticism, Tedros said such comments may stem from a lack of understanding of how the IHR works. He stressed that the WHO’s role is to support state sovereignty in responding to outbreaks, not to replace national governments’ responsibilities. Global health experts warn that the withdrawal of the US as one of the largest funders of global health could seriously affect lifesaving efforts and outbreak management, especially in low-income countries. Ebola survivor Dr. Craig Spencer warned that the Ebola outbreak in Congo is far worse than official reports and criticised the global response. The CDC has also strengthened coordination with airlines, international partners, and entry-point officials. The WHO has declared the Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak in Congo and Uganda a global health emergency after it claimed nearly 100 lives by May 2026. The Postgraduate Director of YARSI University, Tjandra Yoga Aditama, assessed that the Ebola outbreak occurring in Africa requires strengthened international cooperation. US President Donald Trump admitted concern over the Ebola outbreak in Congo after an American doctor contracted the virus, and the US immediately blocked foreign travellers. The Ministry of Health confirmed that there are no Ebola cases in Indonesia after the WHO declared the Congo outbreak a global health emergency. The WHO has declared a global health emergency over the Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak in Congo and Uganda, with around 131 deaths and the virus beginning to spread to the capital of Uganda. The Pan-European Commission urges the WHO to declare climate change a global health emergency to accelerate mitigation and adaptation actions by governments worldwide. The WHO has declared the Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak in Congo and Uganda a global health emergency after claiming nearly 100 lives by May 2026. US President Donald Trump admitted concern over the Ebola outbreak in Congo after an American doctor contracted the virus, with the US blocking foreign travellers.