Ebola likely circulating in Congo for 2 months, outbreak to grow, WHO says

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

ON GUARD. Members of the M23 rebel group guard the laboratory as provincial authorities visit the Rodolphe Merieux Laboratory, National Biomedical Research Institute, where samples from suspected Ebola cases are tested, as part of the response to the epidemic in Goma, North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, May 19, 2026.

WHO experts believe the first death was followed by a super-spreader event either at a funeral or a healthcare facility

GENEVA, Switzerland – The Ebola outbreak linked to more than 130 deaths in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo likely began two months ago and is expected to continue growing, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday, May 20.

The outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no vaccine, was declared last Friday, May 15, and has alarmed experts because it went undetected for so long while spreading across a densely populated area, making it difficult to trace and isolate contacts of infected people.