An Ebola virus outbreak in a remote part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has claimed more than 200 lives and sparked a global health emergency.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on May 17, 2026. Two people who traveled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Uganda tested positive for the virus.
Americares is responding, working with local organizations on the frontlines.
“Thousands of lives are at risk,” said Americares Chief Medical Officer and infectious disease specialist Dr. Julie Varughese. “Ebola is a serious and highly infectious disease that can spread rapidly, particularly in communities where health systems are already under strain. Americares is supporting local partners working to contain the outbreak and save lives.”
The outbreak
This outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, which has no approved vaccine. International spread and high-positivity rate could indicate a larger outbreak. The situation is further complicated by:
Health care workers are among those who have died, increasing worries that the virus could spread within health facilities. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that an American working in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for Ebola.
Our response
We’re focusing our response on preventing infection, community-level education and improving access to safe water in the affected areas. Access to handwashing and education on Ebola transmission are critical to preventing the spread of the virus.
Americares is supporting two partners in the most affected areas. They’ll be:
Together, these efforts are expected to benefit more than 60,000 people.
Americares is coordinating its response efforts with the WHO and the United Nations’ global logistics and health clusters to support frontline health workers and help contain the spread of the virus.
Americares has a long history of responding to Ebola outbreaks, including the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic. It killed more than 11,000 people — the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak in history. Our approach centers on working through trusted partners to strengthen local health systems in affected communities, including: