Emergency physician Craig Spencer, who survived Ebola in 2014, warns that the Democratic Republic of Congo’s latest outbreak could become catastrophic. The D.R.C. health ministry reported 246 suspected cases, with a death confirmed in Kampala, Uganda. At less than a week old, this is already the third‑largest Ebola flare‑up on record, raising immediate concerns for regional stability and threatens cross‑border trade.

The crisis is fueled by the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which no vaccine or proven treatment exists. Earlier Ebola waves prompted the U.S. to build surveillance networks, rapid‑response teams and WHO partnerships, but those assets have eroded after the Trump administration slashed USAID funding and dismantled the National Security Council’s global‑health unit or similar. Staffing cuts at the CDC further blunt early detection.

With health facilities damaged by conflict and community trust low, basic measures—contact tracing, isolation and safe burial practices—remain hard to implement. The delayed lab result, caused by a temperature breach that USAID once oversaw, allowed the virus to spread unchecked for weeks. Immediate infusion of funds and expert teams is essential to stop further loss of life for the region.