Suspected Ebola Cases Trigger Emergency Protocols in Italy and Brazil — All Three Test Negative for Bundibugyo Virus

On 1 June 2026, three suspected Ebola cases outside Africa triggered international emergency health protocols — all testing negative for Bundibugyo virus, but illustrating the heightened global alert posture generated by the 17 May WHO PHEIC declaration. In Sardinia, Italy, a man who had returned from DRC on 31 May presented with fever; Italy's health ministry confirmed by early June 1 that he tested negative for Ebola, and reiterated the risk of Ebola in Italy 'remains very low.' In São Paulo, Brazil, a man from DRC with recent DRC travel who presented with fever tested positive for bacterial meningitis. A second suspected case in Rio de Janeiro involved a patient with recent travel to Uganda who tested positive for malaria. Neither Brazilian diagnosis excludes Ebola entirely per WHO protocol, but both are considered negative pending full evaluation. ECDC maintained its risk assessment for EU/EEA residents at 'low,' citing that Ebola transmission requires direct contact with symptomatic patients or infected bodily fluids. The incidents reflect how the PHEIC triggered surveillance protocols across health systems in Europe and the Americas. US airports — Dulles, Atlanta, Houston IAH, and JFK — continued enhanced Ebola screening of travelers from DRC and Uganda per the 18 May CDC Health Alert Network notice. The one confirmed imported case — a US healthcare worker (Dr. Peter Stafford) evacuated to Berlin — remained in stable condition in Germany per WHO DON605.