WHO

Disease Outbreak News on #Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo Virus Disease, Democratic Republic of the Congo & Uganda - 16 May 2026: bit.ly/43cOnM2

Ebola is a terrible disease because you often catch it while caring for someone you love – a husband, a child, a mother.

Stopping transmission means helping communities recognize symptoms early, access testing quickly and get timely care. Learn more about ebola disease: www.who.int/health-topic...

▶

Ebola disease is a severe, often fatal illness transmitting from animals to humans and between humans.

Here’s what you need to know about how it spreads, the symptoms, and how to prevent infection.

▶

#Ebola latest: The search for patient zero goes on. WHO’s Dr Anne Ancia reporting from Bunia, Ituri, in eastern #DRC, that’s in the grip of the outbreak.

▶

Clean hands save lives. 🤝

Infection prevention and control action, including #HandHygiene, can reduce the risk of health care-associated infections by up to 70%.

Let’s stop the spread of germs and reduce avoidable infections!

Gen Z is outperforming adults in one category, and it's not the one anyone's celebrating: vaping.

Big Tobacco learned something decades ago: hook them young, keep them forever.

Governments can fix this:
🙅‍♂️ Ban the flavours
🙅‍♂️ Ban the marketing
🙅‍♂️ Ban the designs built to hook kids

🔗 bit.ly/4tSkdJ7

Today is #WorldHypertensionDay.
High blood pressure often shows no warning signs, yet it increases the risk for heart disease, stroke, blindness, dementia, and other complications.

Getting your blood pressure measured the right way helps ensure accurate results.

Highlights from rapid risk assessment of #hantavirus cluster linked to MV Hondius:
🔸 The public health risk has been reassessed with the most current information available, and the global risk remains low.

Read more bit.ly/4dP0s05

1️⃣

If you're experiencing unusually hot days and nights, here's how you can cool off and stay hydrated.

▶

Environmental crises like climate change can affect our mental health & well-being, including:
🙁 emotional distress
🙁 anxiety
😣 depression
😖 grief
😫 suicidal behaviour

WHO staff explain why we need to bring mental health into climate action.

▶

Nearly 90% of daily smokers first tried tobacco before they were 18.

Every time nicotine feels like it's calming you down, it's actually tightening its grip.
Tobacco companies design their products to get young people stuck in a cycle of manipulation and addiction.

Quitting is possible. Start now!

▶

It's World Hypertension Day. Most people with high blood pressure don’t feel any symptoms. And if left untreated, it can cause other health conditions like kidney disease, heart disease and stroke. Learn how to prevent, control & treat it.

▶

Eating too much salt increases the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

Reducing salt intake is one of the simplest ways to improve long-term health https://bit.ly/3R1zKIR

#LessSalt

Nicotine pouches, flavoured and appealing, are designed to hook young people.
And these products evolve rapidly.

WHO is calling on governments to regulate them now.

Read WHO’s Global Nicotine Pouch Report 👉 bit.ly/4nymmbk #TobaccoExposed

Caring well for older people is about understanding the whole person, from how they feel to where they live.

Learn about integrated care and how it helps people live, thrive, and stay independent.

▶

Meet Toxoplasma gondii — a sneaky little parasite that lives in cat litter & causes toxoplasmosis infection.
For most people it's a non-event, but during pregnancy? It can seriously harm the fetus.

Wash your hands after every litter box change. If you are pregnant, do not eat undercooked meat.

Since the last Disease Outbreak News was published on 16 May 2026, the number of suspected and confirmed cases has increased rapidly in DRC, with geographical expansion into North Kivu and South Kivu. www.who.int/emergencies/...

Sun beds expose users to #UVradiation & has been driving up the incidence of #SkinCancers.
The risk of developing skin cancer varies greatly with skin type, but the majority of skin cancers are found in light-skinned people.

It's #WorldFoodSafetyDay

Unsafe food causes around 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths annually.

You can reduce your risk of illness, incl. by:
✅ Cooking meat all the way through
✅ Washing fruit and vegetable with safe water
✅ Keeping food at safe temperatures

https://bit.ly/4vvECoi

Latest update on #hantavirus outbreak linked to cruise ship travel, multi-locations

🔵 As of 27 May, a total of 13 hantavirus cases (11 confirmed and 2 probable cases), including 3 deaths (2 confirmed and 1 probable), have been reported.
Read the full disease outbreak news here: bit.ly/49mrQ3a

The Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda continues to evolve rapidly, with increasing case numbers, geographic spread, and evidence of ongoing cross-border transmission. Read the current situation report:
bit.ly/49qPmfk

Here's why #HealthForAll matters now more than ever. Voices from the World Health Assembly. #WHA79

▶

As of 27 May, a total of 906 suspected cases and 223 deaths among suspected cases have been reported in the #DRC.

As of 29 May, a total of 134 confirmed cases, including nine in Uganda, with 18 deaths among the confirmed cases, have been reported across both countries.

More: bit.ly/4wYz7jJ

WHO is vital. Here's why — from the delegates at the 79th World Health Assembly (#WHA79).

Learn more 👉 bit.ly/4dCNQI3

▶