Ebola Outbreak 2026: What Travellers Need to Know

Since April 2026, DR Congo and Uganda have been experiencing an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease — a type of Ebola. The WHO declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in May 2026. If you're travelling to the region, or were recently there, here's what you actually need to know.

What's happening

The outbreak is centred in Ituri Province in eastern DR Congo. Cases have also been confirmed in Uganda, linked to the same outbreak. South Sudan is under elevated monitoring due to its proximity. As of early June 2026, the WHO Director-General confirmed the outbreak is ongoing, with international cases having been detected in travellers who returned to Europe and were subsequently hospitalised.

Bundibugyo is one of the less common Ebola strains and has a lower case fatality rate than the more widely known Zaire strain, but it is still serious and there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for it.

Risk to travellers

The risk to most travellers is low. Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is sick or who has died from the disease — it is not airborne. You cannot catch it from someone who is not yet symptomatic. The people most at risk are healthcare workers and family members caring for infected individuals.

That said, the CDC has issued a Level 2 advisory for DRC and Uganda, meaning enhanced precautions are recommended. Non-essential travel to affected provinces in eastern DRC should be reconsidered.

Entry screening

The US has implemented enhanced health screening at designated airports — travellers arriving from DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan must enter via Washington Dulles or Houston George Bush international airports. Other countries have implemented their own monitoring measures.

If you've recently been there

If you've been in DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past 21 days, monitor yourself for symptoms — fever, severe headache, muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhoea, or unexplained bleeding. If you develop symptoms, call ahead before going to a medical facility so they can prepare. Don't turn up and walk into a waiting room.

There is no Yellow Fever-style vaccine available for Bundibugyo. The best protection if you must travel to affected areas is avoiding contact with anyone who is ill, not attending funerals or burial ceremonies in affected areas, and following guidance from local health authorities.

Check the WhichVax outbreak map for the latest status on this and other active outbreaks.