News

Following the World Health Organisation´s (WHO) declaration that the current Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic is a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda are working to limit the spread of the disease which has caused at least 131 confirmed deaths.

The crisis is heavily concentrated in the north-eastern Ituri and North Kivu Provinces.

However, international health monitoring has confirmed that the disease has crossed international borders, with 2 cases and one death now detected in neighboring Uganda. Local and international efforts to contain the outbreak are facing massive disruptions due to ongoing conflict in  a volatile security environment, extreme poverty, local beliefs and a widespread lack of trust in health organisations.

BUDD’s local offices report that no cases have been confirmed in the capital, Kinshasa, or in the country’s international Congo estuary and river ports in western DR Congo (Banana, Boma, Matadi).

In a country with very poor roads and few airports, the river Congo and its tributaries play a vital role in the domestic carriage of both people and cargo, providing a potential vector for the westward spread of disease from the affected regions in the East.

International aid agencies are keen to take all necessary measures to contain the disease for which there is no vaccine.

In response to the outbreak and the compounding security situation in North and South Kivu, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & development Office (FCDO) has updated its strict travel advisories for the region:

• Travel: the FCDO strongly advises against all travel to the eastern provinces of the DRC. This includes Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Maniema, Tanganyika, Haut-Uélé, and Haut-Lomami.

• Border closures: due to health screenings or sudden security developments, border crossings between the DRC, Uganda, and Rwanda may close at very short notice.

• Active conflict zones: the security situation remains highly unstable. Rebel groups and military forces (including M23 rebels and the Rwanda Defence Forces) have captured major eastern cities and surrounding areas, including Goma, Bukavu, and Uvira. Goma and Bukavu airports have been attacked, and commercial flights are no longer operating from them.

• Limited Support: due to these severe conditions, the UK government has virtually no capacity to provide in-person consular assistance to citizens outside the capital city of Kinshasa.

Transmission: how It Spreads and How to Avoid It

The current epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain. Crucially, health authorities note that unlike more common outbreaks like the Zaire strain, there are currently no licensed vaccines or specific antiviral treatments approved for the Bundibugyo strain, making prevention for now the best way to protect yourself .

Ebola is not airborne and does not spread through the air. It is transmitted via:

• Direct Contact: touching the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids (such as saliva, sweat, vomit, urine, or semen) of an infected person who is showing symptoms or has died. 

• Contaminated Objects: interacting with surfaces, clothing, bedding, or medical equipment contaminated with these infected fluids.

• Animal Spillover: handling, hunting, or consuming infected “bushmeat” (such as fruit bats, monkeys, or forest antelopes).

To further avoid the virus, it is recommended to do the following:

• Practice strict hygiene: wash hands frequently with soap and clean water, and/or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

• Maintain physical distance: stay away from anyone displaying symptoms of the virus (such as sudden fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, or unexplained bleeding).

• Do not touch the deceased: avoid traditional burial rituals that involve washing or touching the body of someone suspected to have died from Ebola.

• Avoid bushmeat: avoid handling or consuming raw or undercooked wild animal meat entirely.

Information provided by DR Congo:

budd.kinshasa@budd-pni.com

budd.matadi@budd-pni.com

More Reading:

• WHO: https://www.who.int/news/item/17-05-2026-epidemic-of-ebola-disease-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-and-uganda-determined-a-public-health-emergency-of-international-concern

• United Nations Report: https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/05/1167534

• UK Foreign Travel Advice: FCDO Travel Summary for the Democratic Republic of the Congo

• BBC News Report: DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Updates