The outbreak, which had previously been reported at 91 deaths out of 350 suspected cases, is centered in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with confirmed transmission in Ituri province. According to the World Health Organization, 30 cases have been confirmed in Ituri, while the broader suspected caseload exceeds 500, with one official estimate at 513 suspected cases. Health authorities have expressed concern that the outbreak has spread beyond a single locality, raising the possibility of wider geographic transmission.

Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said the 131 deaths reported as of May 19, 2026, represent fatalities identified in the community and are not all necessarily confirmed Ebola deaths.

The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, citing the rapid pace and scale of transmission. This designation was supported by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which termed the situation a continental public health emergency. WHO officials clarified that the outbreak is not being treated as a pandemic but as a significant cross-border public health threat. An emergency meeting was convened by WHO to coordinate the international response.

The Ebola virus strain involved is identified as the Bundibugyo strain. Health reports indicate there is no approved vaccine or therapeutic treatment for this strain, a factor contributing to heightened concern among scientists and health agencies. WHO and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasized the need for rapid surveillance, noting that the outbreak may be expanding faster than case confirmation can keep pace. The strain is described as highly contagious and particularly dangerous in settings with weak containment measures.

Cross-border spread has been confirmed with two cases reported in Uganda, including one death. WHO stated that the Ugandan cases involved individuals who had traveled from DR Congo. In response, WHO has advised cross-border screenings between DR Congo and Uganda to help limit further spread. The movement of people across borders is central to the current response strategy.

A U.S. citizen and doctor working in DR Congo was confirmed to have contracted Ebola. The medical missionary organization Serge identified the patient as one of its doctors who had been exposed through work in the outbreak area. Germany announced readiness to receive and treat the American patient. Reports from CBS indicated that at least six Americans may have been exposed to the virus, though this figure has not been formally confirmed by WHO or CDC.

The CDC stated that the risk to the United States remains relatively low but that preventive measures are in place. U.S. authorities have begun monitoring travelers arriving from affected regions and have imposed entry restrictions on non-U.S. passport holders who have been in Uganda, DR Congo, or South Sudan within the past 21 days. The U.S. issued a Level 4 travel warning for DR Congo, its highest advisory level, discouraging travel to the area. Additionally, screening of air passengers from outbreak-hit areas has commenced, and visa services for some travelers from affected countries have been temporarily suspended.

The outbreak was first confirmed in late the previous week before the May 19 update. Health officials have indicated that the number of cases may continue to rise as investigations and surveillance efforts proceed. The lack of an approved vaccine and the rapid spread of the Bundibugyo strain remain key challenges for containment efforts. WHO and CDC continue to coordinate international response activities aimed at limiting the outbreak’s expansion.

The World Health Organization’s World Health Statistics 2025 report, released May 15, 2025, highlights a significant slowdown and reversal in global health progress after gains made prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to WHO officials, these setbacks, combined with longer-term trends of slowing improvement that began before the pandemic, threaten the achievement of health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

The report states that global life expectancy fell by 1.8 years between 2019 and 2021, marking the largest decline in recent history, and that increased anxiety and depression linked to the pandemic reduced healthy life expectancy worldwide by six weeks.

Maternal mortality remains a critical concern, with the global maternal mortality ratio recorded at 197 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023, nearly three times higher than the SDG target of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. WHO-associated reporting from 2026 indicates that the annual rate of reduction in maternal deaths has slowed to 1.6% since 2015, far below the pace needed to meet global targets. Officials noted that approximately 712 women continue to die each day from maternal causes, equating to about one death every two minutes.

Child health and vaccination efforts have also stagnated, according to the WHO report. Maternal and child deaths are not declining rapidly enough to meet global targets, with routine childhood immunization coverage largely flatlining worldwide. The report warns that vaccination levels remain below those required to prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, and several regions have experienced resurgent outbreaks of diseases that vaccination programs should have controlled.

Progress against HIV shows mixed results. WHO’s 2026 social media update highlighted a 40% reduction in new HIV infections between 2010 and 2024. The 2025 statistics report confirms that HIV incidence rates are declining, though the pace of progress remains uneven across regions. WHO officials emphasized that while gains have been made, sustained financing and health system support are necessary to maintain and accelerate progress toward universal health coverage and disease reduction.

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) represent one of the clearer areas of improvement, with the number of people requiring interventions declining by 36% between 2010 and 2024, according to WHO data. The 2025 report states that 1.4 billion more people were living healthier lives by the end of 2024 due to reduced NTD burdens. However, WHO-linked sources caution that despite these gains, the overall burden remains substantial, and control efforts are undermined by persistent gaps in health systems and funding.

Malaria and antimicrobial resistance present ongoing challenges. The WHO report notes a resurgence of malaria cases since 2015 and identifies antimicrobial resistance as a continuing public health threat. These trends contribute to the broader warning that progress on infectious diseases has slowed, stalled, or reversed across nearly every measure since 2015. WHO officials described the global health landscape as one in which gains in HIV and NTDs coexist with worsening or stagnant outcomes in other major disease areas.

Structural and financial barriers remain significant obstacles to achieving SDG health targets. WHO sources report that progress is uneven across regions and populations, with low- and middle-income countries, especially fragile and conflict-affected settings, bearing the heaviest burden. Reports linked to WHO indicate that efforts to expand universal health coverage, improve maternal and child health, and reduce premature noncommunicable disease mortality are insufficient. A peer-reviewed summary published in PMC notes that official development assistance for health has stalled and health systems remain weak, emphasizing that stronger health systems, increased financing, and universal health coverage are essential to meeting global health goals.

WHO also warns that many countries are falling behind on addressing foundational health risks, including malnutrition, air pollution, and unsafe living conditions. These factors compound the challenges facing global health progress and underscore the need for renewed and coordinated international efforts.

The World Health Organization’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the public health risk to Tenerife residents remains “low” despite the hantavirus outbreak linked to the Dutch-flagged cruise ship MV Hondius. In a May 9 message, Tedros emphasized that “this is not another COVID,” noting that while the outbreak is serious with three confirmed deaths from the Andes strain of hantavirus, no symptomatic passengers were on board at that time.

The disembarkation and repatriation operation involved nearly 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries, according to WHO officials.

More than 120 people had safely disembarked by May 14, the agency reported in a follow-up message, adding that all were being cared for and monitored by public health professionals. The operation was conducted under the International Health Regulations (IHR) framework, with passengers transferred using sealed, guarded vehicles through a cordoned-off corridor at Granadilla port in southeastern Tenerife. WHO praised Spain’s leadership and said the port was chosen to keep passengers away from residential areas and minimize community risk.

Spain agreed to receive the ship after WHO determined that Cabo Verde, the vessel’s previous stop, lacked the capacity for a full disembarkation. Following the operation, the MV Hondius departed Tenerife en route to the Netherlands. WHO officials confirmed that no passengers traveled on commercial flights; instead, nine charter flights arranged by eight countries repatriated the passengers over two days.

Health authorities in several countries have initiated monitoring and follow-up procedures for returning passengers. U.S. Health and Human Services officials told the BBC that Americans repatriated from Tenerife would undergo health assessments, including self-isolation and symptom monitoring for up to 42 days, in line with CDC guidance. Canadian public health authorities are also monitoring their nationals for potential infection. Spain reported that 14 Spanish nationals were quarantined at a military hospital in Madrid, with one individual provisionally testing positive and 13 others testing provisionally negative, according to BBC reporting.

WHO has requested regular health status updates on passengers and crew through the IHR network to ensure ongoing surveillance both during transit and after arrival in home countries. The agency’s messaging has consistently emphasized that the Andes hantavirus does not pose the same transmission risk as COVID-19, and that broader community transmission in Tenerife is unlikely. The main risk remains limited to close-contact exposure rather than widespread local spread, Tedros said, reassuring residents that they would not encounter passengers due to the controlled transfer plan.

The hantavirus involved in the outbreak is a rare strain primarily transmitted through contact with infected rodents or their excreta, according to WHO. The three confirmed deaths underscore the virus’s severity, but officials said the outbreak’s containment measures have been effective so far. The WHO’s follow-up guidance issued May 14 reiterates the importance of continued monitoring and international cooperation to manage the public health response.

The Tenerife operation marks a significant coordinated effort involving multiple countries and agencies to respond to an emerging infectious disease risk aboard a cruise ship. WHO’s communications since May 9 have detailed the steps taken to safely disembark and repatriate passengers while minimizing public health risks. The agency continues to work with Spain and other affected countries to monitor the situation and update guidance as necessary.