A new Ebola outbreak in Congo has already become the third largest on record, with the Congolese Health Ministry confirming cases on May 15. The epicenter is Ituri Province, specifically the gold-mining town of Mongbwalu, where the outbreak is believed to have started possibly as early as March. The virus has spread into at least two other provinces and neighboring Uganda.

What makes this eruption especially dangerous is the strain. Unlike the Zaire virus, which has several available vaccines, this outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus — a species with no approved vaccine or treatment and a mortality rate reaching 50 percent. The outbreak was also discovered late, with weeks of mysterious deaths preceding official identification.

Health facilities are overwhelmed and underequipped. Declan Walsh, reporting from Mongbwalu, described an Ebola ward with almost no security, minimal protective gear, and virtually no testing kits. Local customs compound the crisis: traditional funerals involving physical contact with the dead effectively become superspreader events, and conspiracy theories about health workers further undermine containment.

Separately, the Justice Department said it would abide by a federal judge's temporary order blocking a $1.8 billion fund designed to compensate people who claim unfair government prosecution. Critics, including prominent Republicans, called the plan a scheme to reward the president's allies with public money.