Research and analysis

Outbreaks under monitoring: week 26 (week ending 28 June 2026)

Updated 2 July 2026

The following signal relates to an ongoing outbreak, with data as of 29 June 2026

Disease or pathogen	Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD)
Location	Multi-country
Status	Update
Reporting date	15 May to 29 June 2026
Summary	On 15 May 2026, an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda. On 17 May 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General determined that the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. As of 29 June 2026 (in French), 1,333 confirmed cases and 399 confirmed deaths have been reported in the DRC. This is an increase of 239 confirmed cases and 122 deaths since the last outbreaks under monitoring report. Confirmed cases have been reported in Ituri (1,214 cases), North Kivu (116 cases), and South Kivu (3 cases) provinces. In Uganda, as of 29 June 2026, 20 confirmed cases (including 2 deaths) have been reported. Of the confirmed cases, 15 were imported from the DRC and 5 were secondary cases among contacts. This is the 17th recorded Ebola disease outbreak in the DRC since the virus was first identified in 1976. The last reported outbreak, in Kasai Province, ended in December 2025. Bundibugyo virus was first identified in 2007 in Bundibugyo district, western Uganda. A second outbreak caused by Bundibugyo virus was reported in DRC in 2012. WHO assesses the risk of this event as very high in the DRC, high for Uganda and countries with land borders adjoining countries with documented Bundibugyo virus detection, and low for the remaining countries in the African region, and globally. As of 29 June 2026, no imported cases associated with this outbreak have been reported in the UK. Previous experience from the 2014 to 2016 West Africa outbreak suggests a limited importation risk, with only one travel-related case reaching the UK outside of medical evacuations. The risk of the current outbreak to the UK population is assessed as low.
Further information	Ebola: overview, history, origins and transmission Ebola virus disease: clinical management and guidance Ebola and Marburg haemorrhagic fevers: outbreaks and case locations UKHSA blog:  What is Ebola and how does it spread? NaTHNaC country information page: Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda

Epidemiological week 26, 22 to 28 June 2026

Disease or pathogen	Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF)
Location	Iran, Iraq and Russia
Status	New/Update
Reporting date	23 to 26 June 2026
Summary	On 26 June 2026, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reported a seasonal outbreak of CCHF in Iraq. As of 15 June 2026, 171 confirmed cases and 11 deaths have been reported across 15 governorates in 2026. During this period, Thi Qar governorate recorded the highest number of cases (82 cases and 6 deaths).  In 2025, 247 CCHF cases and 38 deaths were reported in Iraq. According to the IFRC, the recent increase in reported cases during 2026 has been driven by increased livestock movement, seasonal agriculture activities, and human-animal interactions.  On 23 June 2026, media (in Persian) reported a case of CCHF in Ardabil, Iran. The case is a 46-year-old woman who was hospitalised following a tick bite. Human cases of CCHF are reported annually in Iran. On 25 June 2026, media (in Russian) reported 3 confirmed cases of CCHF in Kizilyurt district, Dagestan, Russia. According to the article, all the cases are in a stable condition in intensive care. CCHF is endemic in southern Russia. CCHF is not present in the UK, nor are there any identified established populations of Hyalomma ticks, the principal vectors of CCHF virus. Confirmed CCHF cases have been imported into the UK, including one fatal case in 2012 and one in 2014.
Further information	Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever: origins, reservoirs, transmission and guidelines HAIRS risk assessment: Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever NaTHNaC country information page: Iran, Iraq and Russia.