Summary

  • The World Health Organization (WHO) is giving an update after it declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern - watch live above

  • There have been more than 390 suspected cases and at least 100 reported deaths, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

  • The WHO previously said the outbreak did not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency, but warned it could be "much larger" than what's been detected so far

  • The strain of Ebola is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved drugs or vaccines

  • In a speech, the WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is also expected to address a hantavirus outbreak onboard a cruise ship - here's the latest

Live Reporting

Edited by Emily Atkinson and Tinshui Yeung

  1. WHO assembly session gets under way

    Victor Atallah LajamWHO

    The World Health Assembly session has started.

    Right now, Victor Atallah Lajam, president of the assembly, is speaking.

    Next, we'll hear from WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

    You can follow our updates here or watch live at the top of this page.

  2. Increasing number of Ebola cases 'biggest worry' for Africa health body

    Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

    While we wait for Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to speak, here's a comment from the director general of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, who has just spoken to BBC News.

    Jean Kaseya says his biggest worry is the increasing number of cases of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

    "Now we have at least 395 suspected cases, if I combine the two countries," Kaseya says. The vast majority of these are in DR Congo as only two cases have been reported so far in Uganda.

    "We have more than 100 people already passed on, and we don't have a vaccine, we don't have medicine available to support."

    "This is my biggest worry because we need to see how to stop the transmission and we are working with the government of DRC and the government of Uganda to stop the transmission of this outbreak."

    He says he believes that with all the mechanisms being put in place, this can happen "very quickly".

  3. What is Ebola and how does it spread?

    A man in a white shirt holds a contactless infrared thermometer close to a woman's face. She is looking away from the camera and is wearing a blue headscarf and a patterned red, blue and white dress with red beads on it.AFP via Getty Images
    • What is causing this outbreak? Ebola is a disease caused by a virus - it is rare, but severe and often deadly. There are three species of Ebola virus that cause outbreaks, and this one is known as Bundibugyo
    • How is Ebola transmitted? It spreads between people through infected bodily fluids, such as blood and vomit
    • How deadly is it? About 30% of people have died in previous Bundibugyo outbreaks
    • What is the incubation time? Symptoms appear between two and 21 days after being infected
    • What are the symptoms? The initial symptoms appear suddenly and are flu-like, such as a fever, headache and tiredness. As the disease progresses, vomiting and diarrhoea develop and the body's organs do not work as well. Some patients may develop internal and external bleeding
    • Where does Ebola come from? Outbreaks start when somebody catches Ebola from infected animals, such as fruit bats
    • Is there a vaccine? There are vaccines for the Zaire species of Ebola, but not for Bundibugyo

    Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is expected to speak soon - you can watch live at the top of this page.

  4. What is hantavirus?

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  5. Tedros thanks Spain for help with hantavirus outbreak

    Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addresses his statement during the opening of the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79) at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, 18 May 2026EPA

    World Health Organization (WHO) director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has given his opening remarks at the World Health Assembly in Switzerland this morning, ahead of his speech this afternoon.

    Tedros outlined how the WHO has changed over the years to "meet the changing needs" of its member states. He also highlighted WHO's new science division and the "groundbreaking" HIV drug lenacapavir, which was prequalified by the organisation in 2025.

    He thanked Spanish officials for their help in dealing with the hantavirus outbreak, after Spain allowed the ship to sail to the Canary Islands and co-ordinate the repatriation of those on board.

    Tedros also told the assembly he would provide more details on both hantavirus and the Ebola outbreak in his afternoon address.

    As a reminder, we're expecting to hear from Tedros at about 13:30 BST (12:30 GMT).We'll be providing live updates here and you can watch live at the top of this page.

  6. What about the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship?

    Hantavirus-hit cruise ship and crew arrive in Rotterdam

    Earlier this month, a ship carrying about 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries was forced to quarantine after an outbreak of hantavirus on board.

    Three people - a Dutch couple and a German woman - died after travelling on the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, with two of them confirmed to have had the virus.

    The number of infections among cruise passengers has now reached 11, after Canadian authorities confirmed another case on Sunday.

    Earlier, WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said "there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak", but added that "given the long incubation period of the virus, it's possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks".

    After more than a month at sea, the Hondius reached its final destination in Rotterdam on Monday, with only the ship's crew remaining on board.

  7. What’s the latest on the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo and Uganda?

    A woman in an African print dress has her temperature taken. A hand, holding an electronic thermometer, can be seen stretching out from the left of the picture.AFP via Getty Images

    An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda has been declared a "public health emergency of international concern" by the World Health Organization (WHO).

    DR Congo’s eastern Ituri province has seen more than 390 suspected cases and at least 100 reported deaths, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Jean Kaseya told the BBC.

    The virus has spread beyond the country with two confirmed cases, including one death, reported in neighbouring Uganda - both of those infected had travelled from DR Congo.

    Two other neighbours - Rwanda and South Sudan - are also now on "high alert".

    The current strain of Ebola is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, the health agency says, for which there are no approved drugs or vaccines.

    The WHO warns the outbreak could be "much larger" than what’s currently being detected and reported, with significant risk of local and regional spread.

    It does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency, WHO says.

    Health officials are urging those in affected areas to maintain strict hygiene to prevent its spread. Speaking to the BBC, Africa's top health official Jean Kaseya said special care had to be taken around funerals of those infected.

  8. Tedros to speak at World Health Assembly

    Staff members at CBCA Virunga Hospital prepare rooms intended for possible suspected Ebola cases following official announcements in Goma, on May 17, 2026Getty Images

    We’ll be hearing soon from World Health Organization (WHO) director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, after the organisation declared the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo an international emergency.

    So far, the DR Congo health ministry has reported around 350 suspected cases and 91 deaths.

    This comes as at least six Americans have been exposed to the virus in the outbreak, according to sources who spoke to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.

    We’re also expecting Tedros to mention the hantavirus outbreak on cruise ship MV Hondius earlier.

    We’ll bring you all the key updates on these outbreaks as soon as we get them. You will also be able to watch live at the top of this page. Stay with us.