Ebola Outbreak in DRC and Uganda Reaches Third-Largest Scale Amid U.S. Funding Reductions

On May 17 2026 the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern. The Bundibugyo strain, for which no approved vaccine or treatment exists, has produced more than 513 reported cases and over 130 suspected deaths across the two countries, making it the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record after the 2014-2016 West Africa and 2018-2020 DRC events.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

Beginning in early 2025, the Trump administration dismantled the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and sharply reduced health-related foreign assistance. USAID’s budget for the DRC fell from $1.2 billion in FY 2024 to $715 million in FY 2025, then to $67 million in the final three months of 2025. The Department of Health and Human Services’ aid dropped from nearly $33 million to under $10 million in the same period, a total U.S. foreign-assistance decline of roughly 57 %. These cuts eliminated many USAID Ebola-preparedness teams, thinned surveillance networks funded by U.S. grants, and coincided with the United States’ exit from the WHO, disrupting formal information flows.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

• Jeremy Konyndyk – President of Refugees International, former USAID COVID-19 and disaster-relief leader.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

• USAID – Formerly coordinated Ebola surveillance and response in central Africa.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Experienced staffing reductions limiting overseas deployments.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

• World Health Organization (WHO) – Issued the emergency declaration and continues to coordinate the international response.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

• Local health authorities in DRC and Uganda – Operate with diminished laboratory supplies, diagnostic equipment, and protective gear.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

• Reported cases: >513; suspected deaths: >130.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

• Funding reductions: USAID DRC aid $1.2 bn -> $715 m -> $67 m; HHS aid $33 m -> <$10 m.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

• U.S. foreign-assistance spending down ?57 % (FY 2024-2025).

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

• Surveillance failure allowed the outbreak to reach >300 cases before WHO awareness.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

The degradation of surveillance and response infrastructure—once calibrated for early detection—has transformed a potentially contained event into a regional crisis. The inability to detect Ebola within the critical weeks-to-months window increases the probability of further spread, threatens neighboring populations, and underscores the fragility of global health security when major donor support wanes.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

The WHO’s emergency declaration emphasizes the urgent need for coordinated international action. Former USAID officials, speaking to CNN, described the situation as a direct consequence of funding cancellations that “stalled while the outbreak continued.” Global health experts at major research institutions have echoed concerns that the surveillance infrastructure dismantled over the past fifteen months left the region vulnerable.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

Former USAID leaders and aid workers argue that the U.S. funding cuts constitute a “massive surveillance failure,” asserting that early-detection mechanisms were effectively disabled. They contend that the absence of USAID teams, reduced CDC staffing, and loss of WHO membership collectively hampered rapid response capabilities.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

Aid workers in Uganda report that, since the March 2025 Ebola episode, shortages of lab supplies, diagnostic tools, and protective equipment have persisted, forcing local responders to operate under progressively degraded conditions.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

The sources provide consistent case counts and funding figures, but no official statement from the current U.S. administration is included, leaving a gap in the government’s public response. Independent verification of the exact number of suspected deaths beyond WHO reports is also absent.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

• “very worrying” — Jeremy Konyndyk, President, Refugees International

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

• “a massive surveillance failure.” — Jeremy Konyndyk, President, Refugees International

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

• “really unusual for an Ebola outbreak to get to this scale before being detected.” — Jeremy Konyndyk, President, Refugees International

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

• “everything stalled while the outbreak continued” — Former USAID official, speaking to CNN

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r

WHO officials plan a comprehensive epidemiological assessment and are urging renewed international funding to rebuild surveillance networks. Advocacy groups call for the reinstatement of U.S. assistance to restore USAID and CDC capacities, while regional health ministries prepare contingency plans for potential further spread.

The third-largest Ebola outbreak on record is spreading through DRC and Uganda — and aid workers, former USAID officials, and global health experts say recent US funding cuts have made detection and r