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Global Public Health Crisis: Ebola Strain Crosses Borders in Africa!

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

The current situation details:

As of 27 May: 906 suspected cases and 223 deaths among suspected cases in the DRC. And as of 29 May: 134 confirmed cases across both the DRC and Uganda, with 18 deaths(including 9 confirmed cases in Uganda).

Why is this outbreak so severe? 

Triggered by the rare Bundibugyo strain, it has an incubation period of 2 to 21 days and a fatality rate of up to 90%. There are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments available. 

Early symptoms are similar to malaria, making early diagnosis extremely difficult. Shortages of testing kits have slowed down tracking and isolation, causing the virus to spread across 11 health zones in eastern DRC and cross into Uganda.  

In eastern DRC, containment efforts are severely hindered by protracted armed conflicts restricting medical supply lines, community mistrust driven by deep-rooted rumors that delay medical care, and traditional funerals involving the handling of highly contagious deceased bodies.

Red Cross’ Actions 

To combat the crisis, the DRC Red Cross has sent 200 volunteers for door-to-door risk communication, awareness raising, and Safe and Dignified Burials (SDB); the Uganda Red Cross has mobilized over 520 volunteers for health messaging and case detection while keeping 15 SDB teams on standby; and the Burundi Red Cross has activated its network for cross-border surveillance and early warning.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cross Societies (IFRC) has launched a CHF 29.5 million (approx. HKD 295 million) Emergency Appeal to support 3 million affected individuals in May.

Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) Action 

The Hong Kong Red Cross is monitoring the situation closely and maintaining close communication with the IFRC to determine subsequent relief actions based on evolving humanitarian needs. In October 2025, HKRC mobilized HKD 200,000 to support the IFRC's emergency appeal for Ebola outbreak in DRC

The Importance of Public Health Resilience 

This crisis proves that infectious diseases can spread very rapidly across borders. In fragile settings with high population mobility, any localized outbreak can rapidly escalate into a global health security concern. This reminds the international community to continuously strengthen early surveillance and public health resilience to safeguard global health security. 

Your donation provides critical support in the response, helping protect more lives.