WHO says Congo Ebola outbreak spreads to two new health zones
The newly affected zones are Bulu in Sud Ubangi province and Dungu in Haut-Uele province, which borders South Sudan
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday, September 25, 2026 that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has expanded to include two new health zones, Bulu in Sud Ubangi province and Dungu in Haut-Uele province. This brings the total number of affected health zones to 63 across seven provinces.
As of September 23, Congo had reported a total of 7,890 confirmed cases and 3,799 deaths due to the Bundibugyo virus, according to the WHO. However, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that conflict and population displacement are hindering health workers' ability to reach affected communities and trace individuals who may have been exposed to the virus.
He emphasized that restricted access could result in untraced contacts and increased transmission due to displacement and crowding. While overall cases are declining, Tedros highlighted that transmission remains uneven across affected areas. The lack of approved vaccines and treatments for the Bundibugyo strain is also complicating the response, potentially discouraging individuals from seeking care at treatment centers.
The WHO is working to expedite clinical trials for vaccines and treatments. Regarding the risk of future global health emergencies, Tedros stressed the need for countries to bolster pandemic preparedness, citing the importance of the Pandemic Agreement adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2025. Despite some misconceptions, Tedros clarified that the agreement does not cede sovereignty to the WHO.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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