Ebola Outbreak 2026: 134+ Dead, WHO PHEIC, First US Travel Ban — Full Status Update May 20

# Ebola Outbreak 2026: 134+ Dead, WHO PHEIC, First US Travel Ban — Full Status Update May 20

> **Quick answer:** As of Wednesday, May 20, 2026, the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda has produced at least 134 confirmed and suspected deaths, 543 suspected cases, and 35 confirmed cases. The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain — for which no approved vaccine or licensed treatment exists. The WHO declared a global health emergency on May 17. The US has imposed the first Ebola travel ban in American history, banning non-US citizens who visited DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past 21 days. An American physician tested positive and is being treated in Germany. The risk to the general US public remains low.

*This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice. Consult a healthcare provider for medical concerns.*

The Ebola outbreak 2026 Wednesday update tells a story of an epidemic moving faster than containment infrastructure can follow. Five weeks into the outbreak, the case count has already exceeded both previous Bundibugyo outbreaks combined — and there is no vaccine or antiviral to deploy. This is where things stand today across every dimension: the death toll, the geographic spread, the US response, and how this outbreak compares to the 2014 West Africa epidemic that most people remember.

## The Numbers Right Now: 134+ Dead, 543 Suspected Cases

The DRC and Uganda Ministries of Health, as compiled by the CDC and WHO through May 19, 2026, report: