World Health Organization

August 4, 2026 4:16 PM

Treatment trials for Ebola strain behind Congo outbreak show promise, WHO says

Testing of experimental treatments, preventive medicines and vaccines for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola behind Democratic Republic of Congo's ongoing outbreak is advancing rapidly, the U.N.'s World Health Organization said on Tuesday. The epidemic — the second-largest and fastest-spreading on record — was caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments. But Vasee Moorthy, acting head of WHO's R&D Blueprint programme, told journ...

July 10, 2026 10:47 AM

Overcrowded shelters, lack of clean water pose health risks after Venezuela quakes, PAHO says

Disease outbreaks, poor sanitation, lack of access to clean water, and disruptions to basic medical care could pose the greatest health risks to the tens of thousands of survivors of Venezuela's deadly earthquakes, the Americas branch of the World Health Organization said on Thursday. Venezuela has opened more than 80 shelters for those whose homes were destroyed in twin quakes on June 24, with the number of displaced reaching 17,907 by Thursday. Poor shelter conditions could leave many surviv...

June 1, 2026 10:10 AM

Ebola recoveries bring signs of hope in DRC as suspected cases emerge outside Africa

Four nurses who were being treated for Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus have been discharged from a hospital in Bunia in the Democratic Republic of Congo after recovering from the disease, the World Health Organization said on Sunday. More recoveries are expected, especially when people are diagnosed early and able to access care, and as the response to the outbreak intensifies. A laboratory worker had also recovered earlier this week, the agency said, bringing the total numb...

May 29, 2026 3:30 PM

WHO says 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths from Bundibugyo strain of Ebola

The World Health Organization said on Friday that there are 906 suspected cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including 223 suspected deaths that are being investigated. An outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola is continuing in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with cases also reported in Uganda. There have been 125 confirmed cases of Ebola in the DRC, including 17 confirmed deaths in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. There have also been seven confirmed cases of Ebola...

May 29, 2026 10:25 AM

US to quarantine citizens exposed to Ebola in Kenya, not bring them home

The U.S. is setting up a facility in Kenya to quarantine U.S. citizens who have been exposed to Ebola, and will not bring them home if they develop symptoms, but instead send them to a third country, the White House said on Thursday. The strategy marks a sharp break from past practice during previous outbreaks as President Donald Trump's administration seeks to keep all cases out of U.S. territory. The World Health Organization this month declared the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which t...

May 22, 2026 5:21 PM

Inside an African lab that helped crack the hantavirus outbreak

The call for help came in early May: a cruise ship off Cape Verde was stranded, with passengers suspected of infection by a deadly strain of hantavirus that kills about one in three of its victims. The vessel had stopped at several remote islands, and the World Health Organization needed answers. Could a biomedical research center in Senegal, an hour's flight away, support a team collecting specimens from suspected cases on board? The plane landed in Senegal in the early hours of May 5. At the...

May 19, 2026 2:58 PM

WHO chief concerned at speed and scale of Ebola outbreak

The head of the World Health Organization on Tuesday said he was deeply concerned at the speed and scale of the Ebola outbreak, as the number of cases rises. There are at least 500 suspected cases and 130 suspected deaths from Ebola since the new outbreak began, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. That is in addition to one confirmed death and one confirmed case in Kampala, Uganda - among two individuals who travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and 30 cases being ...

May 19, 2026 9:35 AM

What do we know about the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus?

A rare strain of Ebola has prompted the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency of international concern. Most of the cases have occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with more than 100 suspected deaths and nearly 400 suspected infections as of Monday. Here is what we know about this strain of the Ebola virus, known as Bundibugyo. WHAT IS BUNDIBUGYO EBOLA? The current Ebola outbreak - so far limited to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda - is due to ...

May 15, 2026 3:02 PM

WHO warns loosely regulated nicotine pouches risk youth addiction

The World Health Organization on Friday urged governments to do more to control the sale of nicotine pouches, warning that the highly addictive products were being "aggressively marketed" in ways that particularly appealed to younger people. Pouches, which users insert under their lip to get a nicotine buzz, have rapidly become one of the most important products for big tobacco companies looking to offset the decline in smoking. But campaigners and researchers have criticised their marketing ta...

April 21, 2026 10:30 AM

WHO says AI use in health care gaining ground across EU

Artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining ground in health care systems across the European Union, with all 27 member states identifying better patient care as a key driver of AI development and most already deploying AI tools in clinical settings, according to a new report released by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. Described by WHO/Europe as the first comprehensive review of its kind focused specifically on the EU, the report was based on data collected between June 20...