An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed more than 80 people, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare it an international public health emergency. According to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 88 deaths and 336 suspected infections have been reported so far. The WHO said the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola and has been classified under the second-highest alert level, though it has not yet been declared a pandemic emergency.

Health authorities confirmed the outbreak in Ituri province near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan. The first identified patient was a nurse who showed Ebola-like symptoms on April 24 in Bunia, the provincial capital. The Congolese health minister stated that there is no vaccine or specific treatment for this strain, and the fatality rate could reach 50 percent. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders described the situation as extremely concerning and is preparing a large-scale emergency response.

The WHO warned that the true number of infections and the geographic spread remain uncertain, raising fears that the situation could be more severe than currently known.

At least 30 people, including patients, were killed when Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels attacked a health center and several villages in the Lubero region of North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Local officials reported that 23 bodies were recovered from the Baimbwe health center, among them 11 women. The attackers also burned down parts of the health facility and several nearby houses. Colonel Alain Kiwewa, the local administrator, condemned the assault as a crime against humanity and urged residents to support joint military operations by Congolese and Ugandan forces aimed at eliminating the ADF. The group, which has links to ISIS, has been active in eastern Congo for years. A similar attack in October in the same region left around 20 people dead. Since 2021, Congo and Uganda have been conducting joint operations against the ADF, which continues to target civilians despite ongoing military efforts.