An outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (Bundibugyo strain) has been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring Uganda, causing Bundibugyo virus disease.
News as of June 29, 2026:
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1224 confirmed cases with 323 deaths, almost entirely within northeastern DRC; 20 of the confirmed cases are in Uganda and there has been one confirmed case in France– a humanitarian physician who was working at an Ebola treatment center in DRC .
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In response to the case in France, the DRC government has strengthened health screening and monitoring requirements for exiting travelers. The United States CDC has extended the entry restrictions for non US nationals and other specific groups that was instated on May 21st.
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Ongoing concerns are: the scale of the outbreak is still unknown , there are no vaccines or medicines for this strain of Ebola virus, and there are huge challenges implementing an effective public health response. Infection prevention and control, contact tracing and community engagement are severely constrained by local infrastructure and security constraints.
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No Ebola cases associated with this outbreak have been reported in the United States, and the risk of Ebola spreading to or within the United States is considered very low by the CDC
About the infection:
- People can get Ebola disease through direct contact with the body fluids of an infected, sick, or dead person; it doesn’t spread through the air. Rarely, some people can contract the disease through contact with an infected animal, such as a bat or non-human primate.
- Individuals are typically not infectious until symptoms appear.
- Symptoms appear 2 to 21 days after contact with the virus (average 8-10 days):
- The first symptoms are nonspecific and are known as "dry" symptoms, such as fever, headache, sore throat, body aches, and weakness.
- “Wet” symptoms start a few days later, and may include loss of appetite, gastrointestinal symptoms, unexplained bleeding, rash, shortness of breath, or seizures.
- Signs and symptoms recorded with confirmed Bundibugyo Virus strain of Ebola include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, headache, difficulty breathing or swallowing, and musculoskeletal pain. Hemorrhagic signs were noted to be infrequent.
- If you believe you were exposed to someone with Ebola disease and are experiencing signs and symptoms of Ebola disease, contact your doctor immediately. If you are a UC Berkeley student, contact the advice nurse by phone at 510-643-7197.
- Early supportive care such as fluids, oxygen and blood pressure maintenance significantly improves outcomes.
Other information:
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The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a six-month joint preparedness and response plan on June 5, aiming to raise US $518 million to support African countries to prepare for and respond to the outbreak.
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INRB launched a dashboard of cases and deaths that outlines the geographic distribution of the outbreak to date and is accessible via this link .
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The geographic footprint reflects the structural vulnerabilities and longstanding humanitarian crises of this region: active armed conflict, population displacement, limited road infrastructure, and historically strained healthcare capacity.
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Community engagement in managing the outbreak faces severe challenges including mistrust of authorities and healthcare workers and rampant health misinformation.
Information for UC Travelers
- Several central African countries, Uganda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and parts of Rwanda are now State Department Level 4: Do not travel regions. UC travelers in the area are encouraged to leave if possible.
- UC travelers planning to visit Level 4 countries in the area are unlikely to receive approval for any campus-related travel.
- The US Department of State has implemented emergency measures. All U.S.-bound American citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) who have been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within 21 days of arrival in the United States must enter through designated airports for enhanced screening. Flights will be redirected.
- The CDC has advised travelers to reconsider nonessential travel and has enacted entry restrictions barring foreign nationals from entering the United States if they have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, or South Sudan within the 21 days prior to their arrival (permanent residents are exempt).
- While UC is tracking and contacting known travelers in the region and planned travelers who have registered their travel, we are also aware that some travel is not registered. UC travelers should register with the UC Away system (this is automatic if travel is booked through Connexxus) for each trip and have Crisis 24 downloaded on mobile devices. When setting up Crisis 24, it is important to share the location so the geolocation features are activated.
- Illness on the ground may subject personnel to local quarantine mandates, which vary significantly in quality.
- AXA and Crisis24 have Air Ambulance capabilities on standby for patients in need. Medical evacuations will require complex, time-sensitive coordination with both local and foreign government authorities.
- Travel insurance will likely not reimburse for changes to travel due to avoiding or leaving the area. (WHO Emergency Policy exclusion). Current insurance will likely cover any traveler who becomes infected or is exposed.