What happened
The Democratic Republic of Congo is reporting a severe Ebola outbreak that has caused at least 999 deaths and 2,473 recorded cases since the outbreak was declared on 15 May 2026. The outbreak is being described as the fastest Ebola outbreak on record, and health officials are facing difficulty in tracing infection sources.
Background and earlier position
Ebola is a viral haemorrhagic fever that recurs in parts of central and western Africa and is commonly controlled through surveillance, isolation, contact tracing, safe burial practices, and targeted vaccination when an approved vaccine exists for the relevant strain. The circulation of the Bundibugyo virus without an approved vaccine makes outbreak containment more difficult than in Ebola responses that can use licensed vaccines.
What changed now
Why it matters for UPSC
Related current affairs
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