Worldwide Ebola Outbreak: What Do We Need To Know?
- Yunielis Vargas
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
By Yunielis Vargas
5/30/26
The World Health Organization has officially called the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern a couple of days ago. Currently, only a limited number of cases have been confirmed, but the WHO stated that the outbreak may already be much greater than current reports showcase because of limited testing, healthcare shortages, and more.
What makes this situation concerning is that the strain being spread rapidly, also known as the Bundibugyo strain, has no vaccine or treatment available. Healthcare workers have already died from suspected exposure, and officials are worried that weak healthcare systems, ongoing humanitarian crises, and more could make containment far more difficult.
So far, the United States has issued Level 4 travel advisories, expanded border health checks, and sent emergency funding and support to affected areas. State departments also said that they would help fund treatment clinics and support healthcare workers.
WHO also advised countries not to close borders or create travel restrictions, warning that quick decisions can sometimes make outbreaks harder to monitor and control. This reminded me of when everyone started to panic about Coronavirus and it became worse than it was, since everyone hurried to public areas to buy things in case they needed to stay at home. But in my opinion, I feel like travel restrictions should be enacted to ensure safety, and also that Ebola does not spread in the United States. Diseases can spread so fast overseas, so I believe they should be put in place.
Personally, I have seen this outbreak affect the lives of those around me as well. My friend, Maelie Moran, who is a freshman at Southeastern University, recently had her mission trip moved due to the ongoing pandemic. She was supposed to go to Uganda this summer, but she just got moved to South Africa.
Ultimately, this outbreak is extremely dangerous and a horrific thing to witness. I hope the United States can do more to fund hospitals overseas to ensure safety for all!
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