Key Messages
- On May 15, 2026, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Uganda officially declared an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a type of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus. WHO has declared the Ebola disease outbreaks in DRC and Uganda to be a public health emergency of international concern.
- As of May 18, the DRC has reported 10 confirmed cases, 336 suspected cases and 88 suspected deaths. The Uganda Ministry of Health has reported two cases of BVD in Kampala, including one death, in travelers from DRC with no known epidemiologic link to other cases.
- On May 17, 2026, a U.S. citizen in the DRC who had known high‑risk exposures and had developed symptoms tested positive for BVD. The U.S. government is working to evacuate this individual and 6 other U.S. citizens who also had known high-risk exposures, to a facility in Germany to ensure access to treatment and close observation.
- No suspected, probable, or confirmed cases related to these outbreaks have been reported within the United States or California. At this time, CDC and CDPH assess the immediate risk to the general US public as low.
- Clinicians should suspect BVD in a patient who has traveled to DRC or Uganda in the last 21 days, AND who has compatible symptoms (e.g., fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, gastrointestinal symptoms, or unexplained bleeding), AND has reported epidemiologically compatible risk factors within the 21 days before symptom onset (see Recommendations for Clinicians).
- If there is suspicion for BVD, healthcare providers should immediately take infection control precautions specific to Ebola disease and notify the local health department (LHD).
- Travelers who have been in DRC or Uganda in the last 21 days should contact their LHD if they develop symptoms concerning for BVD. Before going to the doctor's office, emergency room, or other clinical setting, they should contact the doctor or other healthcare provider and inform them about the recent travel, symptoms, and risk factors.
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is closely monitoring an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a type of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Uganda. To date, no cases of BVD related to these outbreaks have been reported in the United States or other countries outside of the DRC and the Republic of Uganda. At this time, the CDC assesses the immediate risk to the general U.S. public as low.
On May 19, 2026, CDC released a Health Alert Network (HAN) Advisory providing national-level information and guidance regarding the Ebola disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. This CAHAN message supplements the CDC HAN by providing additional California-specific context and guidance for local health departments and healthcare partners.
Full Advisory: Ebola Disease Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda
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