Health

An Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain is escalating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, with more than 200 suspected deaths reported and cases now reported inside rebel-held areas, humanitarian and health officials say. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the event a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and raised the assessed risk level for the DRC to "very high." Health authorities warn containment is being severely complicated by conflict and by the absence of any approved vaccine or strain-specific treatment for Bundibugyo.

Response teams face constrained access to affected communities where fighting and insecurity limit surveillance, contact tracing and the safe management of patients. Cross-border movement has contributed to cases appearing in Uganda, increasing the urgency of coordinated international action even as operational access remains limited in parts of eastern DRC.

The outbreak comes as global health leaders gather and conclude the 79th World Health Assembly. Member States adopted a new Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance for 2026–2036, approved the first-ever World Health Assembly resolution on Radiation and Health, and endorsed a strategy to better align economic policy with health objectives. Delegates also agreed to establish a joint process to support reforms of the global health architecture — a set of measures intended to strengthen prevention, detection and response systems worldwide.

Those institutional steps come against a stark warning from the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB), whose report released earlier this month concluded the world remains unprepared for future pandemics and is "moving backwards" on key preparedness indicators. WHO leadership used the closing of the Assembly to urge urgent action on pandemic preparedness.

Several other acute outbreaks underscore the pressure on health systems. Bangladesh is contending with its largest measles outbreak in decades, with more than 60,000 suspected cases and 528 suspected deaths, primarily among children under five. Hospitals in affected areas are reported to be overwhelmed, and humanitarian groups say cuts in foreign aid and limited global attention have exacerbated the crisis.