The World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 16, 2026, triggering an elevated international response to a disease that has killed at least 80 people. The designation — the WHO's highest level of alert — signals that the outbreak poses a risk beyond the country's borders and requires a coordinated global response.

The death toll, which has risen to at least 80 suspected fatalities, reflects the scale of an outbreak that has been spreading in central Africa. Health authorities have raised particular concern about the potential for the virus to cross into Uganda, a neighboring country with a history of Ebola cases linked to DRC outbreaks.

The WHO declaration obligates member nations to step up surveillance, share information, and coordinate response measures. It also typically helps unlock emergency funding and facilitates the deployment of international health workers and medical supplies to the affected region.

Ebola virus disease causes severe hemorrhagic fever and carries a high fatality rate when untreated. Vaccines and experimental treatments developed after previous outbreaks, including the large 2018–2020 DRC epidemic, are expected to be central to the containment effort. Health officials have urged rapid case identification and contact tracing to prevent further spread.

International health organizations and governments are monitoring the situation closely as the DRC, which has experienced more Ebola outbreaks than any other country, works to contain the virus with support from global partners.