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As WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak a Global Health Emergency, Did USAID Cuts Worsen the Crisis?

2026-05-18 News & Politics
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Support our work: https://democracynow.org/donate/sm-desc-yt The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency on Saturday due to the rapid spread of Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Ebola causes severe hemorrhagic fever and is often fatal. There's no approved vaccine for the strain of Ebola responsible for the current outbreak, known as the Bundibugyo variant. The WHO said in a statement that the outbreak is potentially much larger "than what is currently being detected and reported." Public health professor and emergency room physician Dr. Craig Spencer, who is an Ebola survivor, says this Ebola outbreak could be the fourth largest in history. "This is going to be a really difficult outbreak to manage and respond to," says Spencer. The ability of healthcare workers to address the outbreak in eastern Congo, "given the violence and conflict, is anything but ideal." Spencer adds that cuts to USAID and the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization have increased the likelihood for viruses to spread nationally and internationally, citing outbreaks of measles in the U.S. and Ebola and hantavirus abroad. "This is not all just a coincidence," says Spencer. "This is a consequence of us cutting back our support." Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET. Subscribe to our Daily Email Digest: https://democracynow.org/subscribe

Top Comments (10)

@fionazerbst5771 2026-05-19

People in the comments, I say this with love: 1. Africa is *not* a country. We have 54 countries here. Ebola is currently in two of them (DRC and Uganda). 2. Ebola was first discovered in 1976. It has been around for a very long time. It is not a bioweapon. 3. There is no cause for alarm. Ebola doesn't travel well and is not airborne. You are at greater risk of being struck by lightning than contracting Ebola (unless you're working in Goma, for example). 4. There are some fabulous books about viral haemorrhagic fevers for laypeople. Laurie Garrett and David Quammen have both written about Ebola.

73 21 replies
@DPerez-tz8sj 2026-05-18

Praying fof Africa 💔

64 2 replies
@ElPelle-e5z 2026-05-18

Don’t think the current US administration and particularly the current HHS secretary are ready/prepared to protect the American people if this Ebola virus strain somehow makes its way to the USA. If this administration cannot handle outbreaks of measles, a viral disease that was supposedly eradicated two decades ago in the USA, then seriously doubt they are ready for this highly contagious, deadly virus for which there is currently no vaccine …

55 8 replies
@Mudflap1110 2026-05-18

The same thing happened surrounding covid-19 and cutting the agencies monitoring outbreaks in China just prior to the covid-19 outbreak. No one talks about that.

52 5 replies
@johoch40 2026-05-18

Wow! We are in the woods ! Welcome to a dismantled government and health services! 😢

48 9 replies
@cattoo860 2026-05-18

Americans would prefer their tax dollars be invested in stopping this issue before it spreads, rather than spending on a ballroom or a pool painted “American Blue.” It’s not complicated.

40 3 replies
@hollyastewart 2026-05-18

It's deliberate. They want us all dead.

37 11 replies
@tRumpisap3dophile 2026-05-18

REMEMBER that the dismantling of the US govt has been the mission of the "HERITAGE" FOUNDATION. tRump was just the 1st opportunity.

28 2 replies
@SAVEOSCAR 2026-05-18

THEY ARE TRYING HARD; BUT WE ARE ONTO THEM...HAHAHAHA!

5
@Boopala11 2026-05-18

Thank you De. Spencer!!! I’m glad you made and thank you for all you do and have done!!

4

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