[Breaking] Ebola Declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern; Hantavirus Outbreak Foreshadows the World Health Assembly

Newsletter Edition #347 [The Files Brief]

This edition is being resent on May 17th, 2026 8:00 am CET with the update that Ebola has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Readers,

We bring you a quick update on the outbreaks of Ebola and the Hantavirus, from a briefing by the World Health Organization, yesterday, on May 15, 2026. (This edition was updated following the determination of Ebola as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17th.)

At the cusp of the World Health Assembly, when 192 member states of the World Health Organization gather in Geneva startin

g Monday, these outbreaks are as much a sombre reminder of the fragility of health, as they are about the importance of collective efforts to safeguard health.

My colleague Kavishalinie brings you this edition.

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Priti Patnaik, Founder & Publisher, Geneva Health Files

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Ebola Declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern; Hantavirus Outbreak Foreshadows the World Health Assembly

By Kavishalinie Kanagasabai

Priti Patnaik contributed to this report.

Update: May 17, 2026:

Epidemic of Ebola Disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda determined a Public Health Emergency of International Concern:

WHO: "Under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), having consulted the States Parties where the event is occurring, has determined that the Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)."

According to excerpts from a WHO statement released last night:

"Pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article 12 - Determination of a public health emergency of international concern, including a pandemic emergency of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), after having consulted the States Parties where the event is known to be currently occurring, is hereby determining that the Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), but does not meet the criteria of pandemic emergency, as defined in the IHR.

The Director-General of WHO expresses his gratitude to the leadership of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda for their commitment to take necessary and vigorous actions to bring the event under control, as well as for their frankness in assessing the risk posed by this event to other States Parties, hence allowing the global community to take necessary preparedness actions.

In his determination the Director-General of WHO has considered, inter alia, information provided by the States Parties – the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda – scientific principles as well as the available scientific evidence and other relevant information; and assessed the risk to human health, the risk of international spread of disease and of the risk of interference with international traffic....

....There are significant uncertainties to the true number of infected persons and geographic spread associated with this event at the present time. In addition, there is limited understanding of the epidemiological links with known or suspected cases.

...The Director-General of WHO, under the provisions of the IHR, will be convening an Emergency Committee, as soon as possible to advise, inter alia, on the proposed temporary recommendation for States Parties to respond to the event."

Key Takeaways:

Ebola in the DRC (May 15, 2026 press briefing by WHO)

• Location & Scope: A new outbreak is confirmed in the Ituri province, northeastern DRC, with 13 laboratory-confirmed cases.
• WHO Response: DG Tedros said WHO has released $500,000 from the WHO contingency fund for immediate response, including surveillance, contact tracing, and laboratory capacity.
• Operational Challenges: The region is highly volatile with significant population mobility due to mining and cross-border trade, which increases the risk of transmission.
• Vaccination Status: Testing is underway to confirm the specific strain; while Zaire strain vaccines are licensed, protocols are being readied for experimental vaccines should they be required for other strains.

Hantavirus (Andes Virus) Global Response

• Current Count: 10 total cases (8 confirmed, 2 probable) and 3 deaths linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius.
• Transmission Risk: While human-to-human transmission has likely occurred on board, the global risk to the public remains low.
• Quarantine Measures: All passengers and crew are classified as high-risk; WHO recommends a 42-day quarantine due to the virus’s long incubation period.
• Scientific Investigation: Genomic sequencing by multiple global labs has found no changes suggesting the virus has become more transmissible or severe.
• Origin Tracking: Scientists are investigating if the virus was present in Ushuaia, Argentina, prior to the ship’s departure on April 1.
• Research: WHO and international researchers are establishing a “natural history study” through the WHO R&D Blueprint to better understand infection duration, infectiousness, and long-term virus detection.

Also see: Emergency scientific consultation on Andes Virus medical countermeasures (MCM) R&D