Ebola Outbreak Now Third Largest Recorded and "Spreading Rapidly"
Recorded: May 23, 2026, 4:58 p.m.
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Ebola outbreak now third largest recorded and "spreading rapidly" - Ars Technica Skip to content Ars Technica home Sections Forum Subscribe Search AI Biz & IT Cars Culture Gaming Health Policy Science Security Space Tech Feature Reviews AI Biz & IT Cars Culture Gaming Health Policy Science Security Space Tech Forum Subscribe Story text Size Small Width Standard Links Standard * Subscribers only Pin to story Theme HyperLight Day & Night Dark System Search Sign In Lack of compassion Ebola outbreak now third largest recorded and “spreading rapidly” Ebola outbreak risk level increased as deaths reach 177 with nearly 750 cases. Beth Mole May 22, 2026 6:24 pm | 74 Medical personnel at CBCA Virunga Hospital wear gowns, masks, and protective gear as they prepare an isolation room for a female patient placed under 21-day observation in the suspected cases area in Goma, on May 21, 2026.
Medical personnel at CBCA Virunga Hospital wear gowns, masks, and protective gear as they prepare an isolation room for a female patient placed under 21-day observation in the suspected cases area in Goma, on May 21, 2026.
Text Story text Size Small Width Standard Links Standard * Subscribers only Minimize to nav The Ebola outbreak erupting from the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to escalate wildly, with cases nearing 750, deaths reported at 177, and around 1,400 contacts now being traced, the World Health Organization reported in a press briefing Friday. The latest numbers already place the outbreak as the third largest on record, though it was only first reported a week ago, on May 15. And WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak is still “spreading rapidly.” Disease of compassion Spencer noted that he and others often refer to Ebola as a disease of compassion because it spreads via bodily fluids to those who have intimate contact with victims. “This means parents taking care of their sick children, family members who wash the bodies of their dead relatives, and health care providers who take care of patients at the most contagious stage of their illness,” he wrote. He recalled a family of seven being infected, with the parents caring for their children while battling the disease themselves, and only the parents survived. Panic and neglect Beth Mole Beth Mole Beth is Ars Technica’s Senior Health Reporter. Beth has a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended the Science Communication program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She specializes in covering infectious diseases, public health, and microbes. 74 Comments Comments Forum view Loading comments... Prev story Next story Most Read 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Customize Ars Technica has been separating the signal from More Contact Manage Preferences |
The Ebola outbreak originating in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently escalating rapidly, with reported figures reaching nearly 750 cases and 177 deaths, marking it as the third largest recorded outbreak. The World Health Organization reported that the outbreak is still spreading rapidly, prompting a revised assessment of risk levels, moving the national level from high to very high, while regional risk remains high and global risk is low. Health officials acknowledged that delays in detection and response allowed the outbreak to significantly inflate in size, and they are currently prioritizing catching up to control the transmission. The investigation indicated that the earliest suspected case involved a health worker in the capital city of Ituri, and the WHO only became aware of the cluster of deadly infections after news surfaced of four health workers dying, which occurred after the outbreak began to disseminate. The control of the Ebola virus, identified as the uncommon Bundibugyo virus, is complicated by the lack of established vaccines or therapeutics, making active case finding, isolation, and contact tracing the primary strategies for halting the spread. Furthermore, the virus thrives in environments characterized by armed conflict, intense population mobility, weakened health systems, and widespread acute hunger, adding significant complexity to the public health response. Public health experts have raised substantial concerns regarding the role of the United States in the global response. They contend that the US has abdicated its historical leadership in Ebola responses following the Trump administration's actions, including the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), severe reductions in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funding, the vacancy of numerous public health leadership positions, and the complete withdrawal from the World Health Organization. Experts suggest that this withdrawal has hindered efforts, as logistics, such as transporting samples to national laboratories and delivering essential personal protective equipment to health workers in the DRC, were previously managed by the US. The delay in detecting the initial outbreak was partly attributed to issues with the proper temperature storage of samples, a task previously managed by USAID. The nature of the disease is often described as a disease of compassion because it spreads through bodily fluids to those in intimate contact with victims, affecting family members, caregivers, and healthcare providers during the most contagious stages of the illness. Epidemiologists argue that the current spread is more accurately reflective of a "global withdrawal" of support rather than directed medical action. While the US administration has committed funding for establishing treatment clinics in affected regions, the World Health Organization has faced challenges in securing adequate funding for the response, leading experts to stress that future funding should prioritize prevention, surveillance, and sustained support for national governments in detection and workforce development, rather than solely focusing on emergency reaction. |