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The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of internationa
The World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern in May 2026 after laboratory tests confirmed an outbreak of Bundibugyo disease — a virus in the Ebola family — in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province. The outbreak has since spread to neighbouring provinces including Nord-Kivu and Haut-Uélé. By early November, health authorities reported more than ten thousand confirmed cases and over five thousand deaths, with dozens of new infections being recorded each day. The scale has drawn comparisons to some of the worst outbreaks in the region's history. International teams are working alongside Congolese health workers on containment and vaccination efforts, though difficult terrain and ongoing security challenges in the east of the country continue to complicate the response, according to relief organisations active in the area. How do you think the global community should best support health systems facing crises of this scale?