New Ebola outbreak fuels mounting global alarm as U.S. works to relocate affected Americans

AfricaNew Ebola outbreak fuels mounting global alarm as U.S. works to relocate affected AmericansMore than 300 suspected cases and 88 suspected deaths have so far been reported, primarily in Congo but also in neighboring Uganda. Add NBC News to GoogleWHO declares global health emergency over new Ebola outbreak01:36Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 18, 2026, 7:28 AM EDTBy Alexander SmithThere was increasing global alarm Monday over an Ebola virus outbreak in central Africa that the World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency of international concern.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.More than 300 suspected cases and 88 suspected deaths have so far been reported, primarily in Congo but also in neighboring Uganda. The WHO says the risk of the outbreak causing a pandemic is extremely low, but that it nonetheless poses significant risk to the surrounding region.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement Sunday that a “small number of Americans who are directly affected by this outbreak” were being withdrawn from the area. Staff members at CBCA Virunga Hospital prepare rooms intended for possible suspected Ebola cases following official announcements in Goma, on Sunday.Jospin Mwisha / AFP via Getty ImagesThe outbreak has been identified as a rare type of Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus. Spread by bodily fluids, Ebola is highly contagious and often fatal — killing between 30% and 50% of those it infects — and causing symptoms such as fever, rash and vomiting, the organization said.Unlike regular Ebola, Bundibugyo has no approved vaccine or treatment.What concerns health officials and experts about this particular outbreak is that it was detected late. Most cases are in Congo’s eastern Ituri province but it has since been found some 600 miles away in the capital, Kinshasa, and in neighboring Uganda, meaning officials do not have a clear idea of...