WHO: Ebola Spreads to Two More Health Zones Bordering South Sudan and CAR; Africa CDC Flags Massive Contact-Tracing Shortfall

WHO's Disease Outbreak News update, published 25 September 2026, confirmed the Bundibugyo virus outbreak has expanded to two additional health zones since the 11 September update: Bulu in Sud-Ubangi province (bordering the Central African Republic) and Dungu in Haut-Uélé province (bordering South Sudan). This brings the total to 63 affected health zones across seven provinces, and WHO said explicitly that 'this latest geographic expansion increases the risk of cross-border transmission,' rating the risk to countries sharing a land border with DRC as high. As of 23 September, DRC had recorded 7,890 confirmed cases and 3,799 deaths (CFR 48.1%), with 1,966 recoveries. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said 'it's very difficult to see Ebola in isolation because even our response to Ebola is affected by the conflict,' citing displacement and access constraints from the M23/FARDC fighting in the Kivus. Separately, Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya disclosed a severe contact-tracing shortfall: with more than 7,000 cases, roughly 420,000 contacts should exist under standard ratios, yet only about 30,000 are currently being tracked — a small fraction of ECDC's separately reported 83.4% national contact-tracing coverage figure, which measures follow-up only among contacts that have actually been identified. Kaseya said 'when the outbreak is at community level, we cannot talk about control.' The Bundibugyo species has no approved vaccine or treatment, though a Phase 3 Ervebo cross-protection trial is underway in Ituri.