This Ebola outbreak is particularly worrying. That doesn't mean it's a threat to Canadians | CBC News

WorldThe deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is concerning for a number of complicated factors, but there's no reason for Canadians to panic, say people who have worked in the region. The UN says there are 148 suspected deaths and nearly 600 suspected cases, with two cases including one death in neighbouring Uganda.East Africa facing 'perfect storm' of risk factors, but experts say global risk is lowKevin Maimann · CBC News · Posted: May 22, 2026 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 6 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Red Cross workers head to work disinfecting Rwampara general hospital before handling the body of a person who died of Ebola, as aid agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain, in Rwampara, Democratic Republic of Congo, on Thursday. (Gradel Muyisa Mumbere/Reuters)The deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is not likely to end soon, but there's no reason for Canadians to panic, say people who have worked in the region. The UN says it has recorded 148 suspected deaths and nearly 600 suspected cases, with two cases including one death in neighbouring Uganda. But the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said the outbreak is almost certainly much larger than the current count.WHO says that while the risk of the outbreak spreading globally is low, the regional risk is high, with the Ituri Province at the centre of the outbreak bordering Uganda and South Sudan.Ebola outbreaks are not particularly uncommon — this is the 17th outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R.C.) since 1976, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The most recent outbreak ended in December 2025.But there are a few factors that make this one especially concerning, says Kerry Bowman, a University of Toronto bioethicist who has worked in the D.R.C.WATCH | Explaining the spread of the Bundibugyo virus:Is Ebola in North America? | About That10 hours ago|Duration 11:20As a deadly Ebola virus outbreak spreads across the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, efforts to test and contract trace have reached as far as North America. Andrew Chang explains how the virus spreads, why it went undetected for so long and the compounding barriers to containing and treating this rare Bundibugyo strain.