East African Community (EAC) health ministers are holding a special virtual meeting today and tomorrow to coordinate a joint regional response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

The meeting, organised under the EAC Sectoral Council of Ministers of Health, focuses on strengthening preparedness and containment measures as the outbreak continues to spread within parts of the region.

According to the EAC Secretariat, the emergency session is part of wider interventions aimed at improving surveillance, laboratory capacity, and rapid response systems across member states.

The current outbreak, officially declared on May 15, 2026, is linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment.

Health authorities in the DRC have reported 121 confirmed cases and 17 deaths, alongside more than 1,000 suspected cases and over 200 suspected deaths.

Uganda has also recorded seven confirmed cases and one death, with initial infections linked to cross-border movement of individuals seeking medical care from the DRC.The outbreak is concentrated mainly in eastern DRC provinces including Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, with Ituri identified as the epicentre.EAC officials are concerned about the risk of wider regional transmission due to high population mobility and active cross-border trade.

EAC Secretary General Stephen Mbundi stated that the bloc is working closely with member states, Africa CDC, WHO, and development partners to enhance surveillance, infection prevention, risk communication, and emergency response.

The region is also deploying nine mobile laboratories at key border points, including locations in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern DRC, to support rapid testing and monitoring.

Additionally, the EAC is exploring a regional mechanism to fast-track approval of vaccines and diagnostics, while urging stronger border screening and public awareness campaigns.