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WHO Director General update on Ebola in DRC and Uganda - 19 May 2026
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Director-General of World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, updates on outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus address spoke at the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 18-23 May 2026.
Teleprompter
Excellencies, honourable Ministers and Heads of delegation, dear colleagues and friends, early on Sunday I declared a public health emergency of international concern over an epidemic of Ebola disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
This is the first time a Director General has declared a fake before convening an emergency committee.
I did not do this lightly.
I did it in accordance with Article 12 of the International Health Regulations, after consulting the Ministers of Health of both countries, and because I'm deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic.
We will convene the Emergency committee today to advise us on temporary recommendations.
So far, 30 cases have been confirmed in the DRC from the northern province of Italy.
Uganda has also informed WHO of 2 confirmed cases in the capital of Kampala, including one death among two individuals who travelled from DRC.
And there is one U.S.
citizen confirmed positive and transferred to Germany, as reported by the US.
And we're working with the DRC, Uganda and also the United States.
First, beyond the confirmed cases, there are more than 500 suspected cases and 1:30 one, 130 suspected deaths.
These numbers will change as field operations are scaling up, including strengthening surveillance, contact tracing and laboratory testing.
Second, cases have been reported in urban areas including Kampala and the city of Goma in the DRC.
Third, deaths have been reported among health workers, indicating healthcare associated transmission.
4th, there is significant population movement in the area.
The province of Italy is highly insecure.
As you may know, conflict has intensified since late 2025 and the fighting has escalated significantly over the past two months, resulting in civilian deaths.
Over 100,000 people have been newly displaced and in Ebola outbreaks.
You know what displacement means.
The area is also a mining zone with high levels of population movement that increase the risk of further spread and fibs.
This epidemic is caused by Bundiboujo a virus, a species of Ebola virus for which there are no vaccines or therapeutics.
In the absence of a vaccine, there are many other measures countries, of course, can take to stop the spread of this virus and save lives even without medical countermeasures, including risk communication and community engagement.
I thank the government of Uganda for postponing the annual Martyr's Day celebrations, which can attract up to 2 million people because of the risk posed by the epidemic.
WHO has a team on the ground supporting national authorities to respond.
We have deployed people, supplies, equipment and funds.
I have approved an additional $3.4 million from the contingency fund for emergencies, bringing the total to 3.9 million U.S.
[Other language spoken]
And I would like to use this opportunity to thank all countries who contribute to the CFE and we will continue to keep all Member States informed.
As you know, WHO is also responding to the outbreak of Hantavirus among passengers and crew on the MV Hondus cruise ship.
The passengers have all been repatriated and will be monitored until the quarantine periods end on the 21st of June.
Yesterday the Hondus arrived in Rotterdam where the crew disembarked and will be quarantined until the 29th of June.
For the past two weeks I have been in regular contact with the captain of the ship, Captain Jan Dobrovsky of Poland, and I would like to thank him for everything he has done for the passengers and crew under his care.
I'm sure Poland is proud of Jan.
WHS assessment continues to be that the risk of hantavirus globally is low.
So far there are eleven reported cases, including three deaths, and no deaths have been reported since the 2nd of May, when WHO was first informed of the outbreak of the ship.
Those numbers have changed little since the outbreak was first reported to WHO two weeks ago.
As things stand, there is no sign that we're seeing the start of a larger outbreak, but of course that could change and we urge all affected countries to continue monitoring the passengers and crew carefully.
I thank the many countries involved in the response.
Spain not only met its legal duty under the International Health Regulations, but also its moral duty to the passengers and crew.
I would especially like to thank Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for his leadership and for his inspiring message at this Assembly yesterday.
Spain handled the situation with compassion and kindness to the passengers and the crew, and not just the legal obligation.
I also thank South Africa, which was the first to confirm hantavirus at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in Johannesburg after the first patient was evacuated there.
And I thank the UK for notifying WHO and all countries through the IHR.
And I thank Cabo Verde for helping with the evacuation of the three symptomatic patients.
I thank the Netherlands, which has been actively involved through every stage of the outbreak and has received the evacuees from the ship.
And I thank Argentina and Chile for sharing their expertise and support in the epidemiological investigations, and for donating reference material for PCR and serologic testing to five reference labs involved in the response.
The outbreaks of Ebola and Hantavirus in the past two weeks show why international threats need an international response.
They show why the world needs the International Health Regulations and why it needs WHO.