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When was the 2026 Ebola outbreak in Central Africa confirmed and declared a public health emergency?

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The 2026 Ebola outbreak was officially confirmed by health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on May 15, 2026, after several weeks of undetected spread. Two days later the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern because of the high risk of regional transmission and the associated challenges of containing the Bundibugyo strain.