- The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has risen to 544, with 91 confirmed deaths, alongside 19 cases and two deaths in neighbouring Uganda.
- The World Health Organisation declared the outbreak an international health emergency, with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warning it could become the largest on record, potentially exceeding 20,000 cases.
- This particular outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there is currently no licensed vaccine, posing a significant challenge to containment efforts.
- Response efforts are severely hampered by ongoing conflict, insecurity, and widespread misinformation, which has led to attacks on health facilities and the spread of conspiracy theories about the virus.
- A joint $518 million Ebola response plan has been launched by the WHO and Africa CDC, while the UK has pledged £21 million amidst concerns over global aid cuts, including a significant reduction in US foreign assistance.
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