WHO Director-General Tedros Visits DRC — Confirmed Cases Nearly Double as Outbreak Accelerates

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Bunia, Ituri Province on 30 May 2026, making his first in-country visit to the 2026 DRC-Uganda Bundibugyo virus outbreak. The visit coincided with a dramatic surge in lab-confirmed case counts: DRC's Ministry of Health reported approximately 225 lab-confirmed cases as of May 30 — nearly double the 125 confirmed on May 29, representing the fastest 48-hour confirmation rate since the outbreak began. The jump reflects a combination of accelerated laboratory throughput (three additional mobile BSL-3 units became operational in Ituri between May 28–30) and genuine epidemic spread, not only a reclassification effect. Uganda's Ministry of Health simultaneously updated its confirmed case count to 9 lab-confirmed (up from 7 on May 29), with all cases linked to DRC travel or DRC-connected contacts in Kampala. Total suspected cases in DRC stood at approximately 1,028 as of May 30, with suspected deaths exceeding 220. Dr. Tedros met with DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Health Minister Dr. Samuel Kasongo Mwamba, calling for 'maximum mobilization' of international resources. In his statement from Bunia, Tedros said: 'I came here to see with my own eyes, and to make clear to the international community that what is happening here demands an urgent and coordinated global response.' He visited the Bunia ETU and held a briefing with MSF field teams. The DG also addressed the WHO ring vaccination challenge directly, acknowledging the expert panel ruling and committing to fast-track the clinical trial framework for ChAdOx1 BDBV and therapeutic candidates within 21 days.