Africa Races For Ebola Vaccine As Outbreak Outpaces Response

Members of a decontamination team wearing safety suits during the West Africa Ebola epidemic in 2015. The World Health Organization has declared the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern. Photo Credit: Corporal Paul Shaw/MOD (CC BY 2.0)

June 3, 2026 
By John Musenze


Researchers racing to develop a vaccine to fight the growing Ebola outbreak centred in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) say doses could be ready for human testing within “two to three months”, while the more promising candidate could take up to nine months.

International aid agencies have warned that response efforts are failing to keep pace with the spread of the outbreak, which the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a global body dedicated to vaccine development, on Monday (1 June) pledged US$62 million to fast-track three investigational vaccine candidates for trials to fight the Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments.

“With Bundibugyo virus spreading rapidly and no licensed vaccines, every day counts in the race against this deadly disease,” said CEPI chief executive Richard Hatchett.


“CEPI’s urgent funding and support for these three promising candidates aims to advance safe, effective vaccines to help control this epidemic.”

The three candidates are being developed by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), US biotech firm Moderna, and the University of Oxford, with the Oxford vaccine to be manufactured at the Serum Institute of India.

Teresa Lambe, head of vaccine immunology at the Oxford Vaccine Group, says scientists are attempting to fast-track production using lessons learned during COVID-19.

“Animal studies for the Oxford vaccine candidate are already under way and will be progressing with partners around the world,” said Lambe.

“We are hoping to have clinical-grade vaccine doses ready within two to three months.”

WHO’s Technical Advisory Group has identified IAVI’s single-dose rVSV candidate, developed with the University of Texas Medical Branch with US$3.2 million from CEPI, as the most promising in the pipeline. However, the WHO says it will be seven to nine months before the candidate is ready for human testing.

“We are acting with urgency to advance this candidate quickly and responsibly,” said IAVI CEO Mark Feinberg.

“While significant work remains, including definition of accelerated pathways for clinical evaluation and regulatory review, we believe it is important to expedite development of this vaccine candidate to explore its potential to help address a pathogen for which no countermeasures currently exist and that is causing a tragically increasing number of deaths, serious illness, and grave disruption across a wide region.”

As of May 29, the outbreak had caused 223 suspected deaths in DRC and one in Uganda. On Tuesday (2 June) Uganda confirmed six new cases, bringing the total confirmed in the country to 15.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has committed US$50 million to the Ebola outbreak through its First Response Fund, including up to US$40 million to accelerate access.

“While we are some way off having a safe and effective vaccine against Bundibugyo virus, we need to act now to ensure that, once one or more vaccine candidates are ready, manufacturers are in a position to start producing doses at scale,” said Gavi chief executive Sania Nishtar.

Jean Kaseya, head of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) promised that Africa would have a vaccine and treatment “by the end of this year”.

The African Union health agency has forged a continent-wide response plan to strengthen outbreak control in at least 11 high-risk countries—a plan it says will require US$319 million in the next six months.

Kaseya warned that South Sudan, Somalia, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Republic of Congo, Burundi, Angola, Central African Republic, and Zambia are at high risk of Ebola spread—in addition to DRC and Uganda—due to cross-border population movement.


Speaking at a press briefing last week (28 May), Kaseya said the continent can no longer afford to respond to recurring outbreaks without medical countermeasures.

“This is the third time we are seeing Bundibugyo in Africa. If this was happening in Western countries, they would have a vaccine by now.”

The rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola has caused just three outbreaks in nearly two decades, the first in Uganda in 2007, with a second in DRC in 2012. It has no approved vaccine and no licensed treatment, and existing medical tools developed for the more common Zaire strain are largely unsuitable for the current outbreak.

Kaseya also disclosed that he had received a direct message from Russia’s Minister of Health, informing him that the Gamaleya National Research Centre had developed an Ebola vaccine.

“My team is working with the Russian team and with all other partners to understand,” Kaseya told the briefing.

Africa CDC officials confirmed the Russian vaccine was originally developed following the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak and targets the Zaire strain. Technical teams were this week assessing whether the platform could offer protection or be adapted for the Bundibugyo species.

WHO experts have also recommended several experimental therapeutics for evaluation in clinical trials among confirmed Ebola patients. These include the monoclonal antibodies MBP134 and Maftivimab, the antiviral remdesivir, and combination therapies involving both antibody treatment and antivirals.

WHO is also studying the use of obeldesivir tablets as post-exposure protection for confirmed contacts. These are oral antivirals administered before symptoms develop in an attempt to prevent infection.


This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.

 

Asia’s EV race speeds up as China’s champions challenge Tesla

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By Mark Buckton in Taipei June 2, 2026

Electric vehicle adoption across South, East and South-East Asia is accelerating, but the region’s transition is increasingly being shaped by domestic industrial policy, Chinese manufacturers and the slow build-out of charging infrastructure rather than by Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) alone – the efforts of Elon Musk notwithstanding.

As of mid-2026, China remains the centre of gravity in the EV world.

The country accounts for the overwhelming majority of Asia’s EV sales and continues to set the pace for manufacturing, battery development and charging networks. Yet even within China, the market is changing rapidly. Reporting by Caixin noted that sales momentum weakened after subsidy reductions and changes to tax incentives, exposing how dependent parts of the industry remain on government support. The same reports point to domestic vehicle sales in China falling sharply in early 2026 as consumers adjusted to the new policy environment.

This is, in part, down to Tesla remaining a significant force in China but even the world’s most iconic EV maker is facing intensifying pressure from domestic Chinese rivals.

BYD (SHE: 002594) has overtaken the US group as the world’s largest EV seller in terms of volume of sales, while manufacturers such as Geely, Wuling (HKG: 0305), Nio, Xpeng, Li Auto and Xiaomi (HKG: 1810) continue to gain market share. The South China Morning Post reported recently that low-cost models from Geely and Wuling have of late become some of China’s best-selling EVs, reflecting growing demand for affordable vehicles rather than premium – read: Tesla – imports.

BYD’s strategy to expand its footprint increasingly extends beyond vehicle sales. Reuters reported that the firm is expanding deployment of its assisted-driving technology while investing heavily in autonomous-driving chips and software. Tesla, meanwhile, continues to wait for broader regulatory approvals for some advanced driver-assistance functions in China and it is likely only a matter of time before claims of protectionism arise.

South Korea meanwhile presents a much different picture. The country already possesses extensive charging infrastructure coupled in large part to a mature automotive sector led by Hyundai and Kia – global motoring brands. Tesla in Korea remains one of the strongest-selling imported brands, but Chinese-made EVs are rapidly establishing a solid foothold. Because of this, industry discussions reported by Korean market observers have suggested that Chinese-built vehicles - including Teslas manufactured in China - and models from BYD, are capturing a growing share of imports.

In comparison, neighbouring Japan remains a relative laggard in EV adoption. Consumer demand has been slower than in China or South Korea, while domestic manufacturers have continued to focus heavily on hybrids and there has been some pushback against all-out EVs. However, charging networks are expanding gradually, but battery-electric vehicles still represent a comparatively small share of overall sales.

Chinese brands, for political reasons even if this is denied, have made limited inroads, although competition is expected to intensify as lower-cost imports arrive.

On the subcontinent, India represents one of Asia’s most important long-term growth opportunities. New Delhi has introduced manufacturing incentives, tax breaks and support schemes designed to create a domestic EV ecosystem. This has seen local manufacturers including Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra ( a firm also making headway across Asia with its petrol-powered vehicles) establish strong positions, while global and Chinese brands seek entry into the market although politics again is likely to play a role in keeping them out for a while at least.

The challenge in India though remains infrastructure. Analysis shared through India’s automotive community highlights the reality that public charging availability remains well behind vehicle sales growth, and while demand is expanding quickly in some of India’s biggest cities, charger deployment is struggling to keep pace.

Elsewhere in South Asia, adoption remains uneven. Pakistan is pursuing EV policies and assembly projects but faces infrastructure constraints and electricity supply challenges. Bangladesh meanwhile is witnessing growth in electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers rather than passenger cars. Sri Lanka and Nepal are seeing increasing EV imports, supported by lower fuel-import costs and a raft of government incentives, although, like India and other nations on the subcontinent, charging networks remain few and far between.

Southeast Asia on the other hand has emerged as one of the most competitive EV battlegrounds on the continent. Thailand has become a regional manufacturing hub, attracting major investment from BYD, Great Wall Motor and other Chinese groups. As a result, Bangkok has backed adoption through tax incentives and support for local production. Because of this, Chinese brands now dominate much of Thailand’s EV market.

Vietnam is pursuing a more nationally focused strategy through domestic champion VinFast – a brand now seen increasingly across Asia. The company has rapidly expanded charging infrastructure and established a nationwide presence, making Vietnam one of the few countries in the region where a local brand is leading the transition – for now.

To the south, Indonesia with the largest population in Southeast Asia, is perhaps the most strategically important market. The government has recently sought to leverage the country’s vast nickel reserves to build a complete EV supply chain, from mining through battery production and vehicle assembly. Reporting by The Jakarta Post on this has highlighted how Jakarta’s industrial strategy is increasingly tied to battery manufacturing and downstream nickel processing.

In turn, the country is also investing heavily in its own charging infrastructure and analysts cited by Indonesia’s state-owned news agency Antara claim that government incentives tied to nickel-based batteries are intended to deepen domestic industrial integration while at the same time strengthening the broader EV ecosystem.

Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines are all making progress but are moving at different speeds. Singapore has developed one of the region’s most ambitious charging roll-outs, backed by strong government policy and urban planning. Malaysia to the north is expanding public charging corridors while attracting manufacturing investment, and the Philippines is playing catch-up, but is seeing rising interest in electrification, particularly in the form of public transportation fleets. Displacement of the nation’s roughly 250,000 jeepneys will take some doing though.

Mixed into all of this across the region is the position of Tesla which can be summarised as ‘mixed’ at best. The company retains considerable brand value thanks to the ever present PR surrounding its CEO – and to some extent remains influential in some areas, notably Taiwan.

However, Tesla is increasingly confronting rivals that combine lower prices, local manufacturing and extensive state support – and losing.

BYD’s scale, Geely’s budget offerings and the emergence of new Chinese technology-focused manufacturers have fundamentally altered the competitive landscape of Asia vis-a-vis EV sales. Reports from Reuters, Caixin and regional media to this end thus suggest the centre of gravity in Asia’s EV market is shifting away from Tesla and decisively towards Chinese brands – the result being an Asian EV transition that looks markedly different from the one envisioned a decade ago.

China’s BYD captures 35% of Africa EV market, as latecomer rival Tesla bets on Morocco

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By Brian Kenety June 3, 2026

Chinese automaker BYD Company Ltd (SZSE:002594; HKEX:1211) has significantly strengthened its presence in Africa’s emerging electric vehicle (EV) market, increasing its market share to 35% in 2025 from just 4% two years prior, according to the Global EV Outlook 2026 report, published by the International Energy Agency (IEA), which predicts a continental bump in sales owing to the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

China’s biggest carmaker, pure-play EV manufacturer – and now the world’s biggest EV maker by unit sales – aims to sell 1.3mn cars outside of its home market in 2026, which would represent an increase of nearly 25% from its 2025 overseas sales. While Asian and Latin American markets are the main focus on its expansion drive, BYD is targeting sales several African countries, including by building charging station infrastructure.

In major electric car markets, such as Europe and the United States, the share of Chinese imports in sales is still relatively limited due to trade measures, consumer preferences and large domestic electric car manufacturing capacity. But “outside these two major markets, Chinese imports accounted for 55% of electric car sales in 2025, up from about 10% in 2021”, the report says, and many countries in Africa now “import more than 80% of their electric cars from China”.

A prolonged high oil price environment is likely to boost the outlook for EV sales in Africa. In emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), increased gasoline and diesel prices have a larger impact on household incomes since average incomes are lower compared to advanced economies. And so “oil-importing EMDEs across the world have some of the strongest incentives to implement policies to further speed up electric car adoption,” the report notes.

Electric vehicle adoption across Africa remains concentrated in a small number of markets despite rapid recent growth, with regional electric car sales rising from about 4,000 units in 2023 to roughly 25,000 in 2025.

Last year, Egypt led the continent in total EV sales with around 7,900 units sold, followed by Morocco with 5,500 and South Africa with 3,800. Together, the three countries accounted for nearly 70% of Africa’s total electric vehicle sales during the year.

“Buying a brand new EV is not cheap, even for many African markets with slightly better disposable income,” Nigeria-based outlet TechCabal commented on the report’s finding. “BYD has intentionally targeted that group by shipping cheaper EV models in markets like Egypt and South Africa, undercutting competitors like Maxus and Toyota, which recently introduced an EV in the market.”

Morocco emerges as Africa’s EV manufacturing hub, focus of BYD’s main rival, Tesla

US electric vehicle maker Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) officially entered the Moroccan market in February, with a launch event in AnfaPlace Mall in Casablanca, showcasing two of its best-selling models, the Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y, alongside home charging solutions.

Morocco has consolidated its position as Africa’s largest automotive manufacturing hub, producing 559,645 vehicles in 2024 (up 5% year on year) and projected to exceed 600,000 units in 2025, according to industry estimates. Output growth contrasts with a 5% y/y decline in South Africa last year (599,755 vehicles), historically the region’s dominant producer.

The North African country also hosts early electric vehicle assembly activity through Chinese and European manufacturers, providing a modest but established EV-production base. By comparison, South Africa – birthplace of Telsa’s chief executive Elon Musk – reports no local production of fully electric vehicles; the auto sector is still oriented towards internal-combustion and hybrid models.

Morocco’s logistics advantages include short shipping routes to European markets and lower transport costs. Policymakers have pursued an expansive EV-sector strategy that includes tax exemptions, reduced import duties, and broad public-charging deployment, with close to 1,000 charging points nationwide.

“Its proximity to Europe — South Africa’s largest target market for exported vehicles — gives Morocco a geographical advantage in terms of supply chains and shipping fees. The country is also ahead of South Africa in EV production, producing 40,000 to 50,000 units in 2024, with plans to increase this. South Africa has not yet produced a single fully electric car,” writes south Africa-based MyBroadband.

Meanwhile, BYD has announced plans to expand its dealership network in South Africa to 35 locations by the first quarter of 2026, having initially set an end of year target. The Chinese company also plans to deploy between 200 and 300 fast-charging stations in Africa’s most industrialised country by the end of 2026. Meanwhile, Chinese OEM Sany is planning to expand production in South Africa.

In December, Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd, South Africa’s state-owned electricity utility responsible for power generation, transmission and distribution, formalised a partnership with BYD Auto South Africa, to expand the country’s public EV charging network.

The cooperation is anchored in a Memorandum of Cooperation signed earlier in 2025, setting out joint objectives to support EV infrastructure development and broaden market uptake. BYD reaffirmed its commitment to the agreement during the launch in Johannesburg of its Sealion 5 Super Plug-in Hybrid SUV, priced from ZAR499,900 (about $26,700), positioning it below many plug-in hybrid electric vehicles currently on sale, which are often priced above ZAR600,000 (around $32,000).

Uganda and Kenya lead Africa’s electric motorcycle growth

Globally, two- and three-wheelers (2/3Ws) remained the most electrified road transport segment in 2025, with about 10% of the global fleet now electric, according to the Global EV Outlook 2026. Sales of electric 2/3Ws increased almost 15% to reach 11mn globally in 2025, representing around 15% of total 2/3W sales. Swapping systems for 2/3Ws are deployed in several African countries, including Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

“Sales of electric 2Ws have grown markedly in Africa, from less than 1 000 in 2020 to around 70 000 in 2025,”the report says. “The use of 2Ws for ride-hailing, delivery and other commercial applications – where purchase decisions are especially cost-sensitive – has helped drive up the sales of electric 2Ws, especially in countries such as Uganda and Kenya. Battery-swapping is also being deployed to support the uptake of electric 2Ws used for commercial services in some markets in Africa.”

Uganda has become one of Africa’s fastest-growing markets for electric 2Ws, with sales exceeding 30,000 in 2025, having risen sharply from a low base in 2024. “Key to growth was the rapid scale-up of financing programmes for 2W purchases, led by Kenya-headquartered Spiro, which reported a large rollout in 2025, supported by an expanding battery-swapping network,” the report said.

“Zembo Motorcycles, a company focused on electric 2Ws, which provides battery swaps, secured $1mn in funding from the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank FMO in order to acquire batteries and chargers. Policy measures have complemented private-sector scaling. Uganda’s national e‑mobility agenda includes fiscal incentives intended to attract investment in domestic assembly and manufacturing, including income tax holidays and VAT exemptions for eligible domestically manufactured electric vehicles (EVs) and charging-related equipment.”

In Kenya, high gasoline prices relative to electricity prices, combined with the large share of the population with reliable access to electricity, make a strong economic case for electric 2Ws, the report said. “As a result, year-on-year electric 2W sales more than tripled in 2025, reaching over 25 000 and representing around 15% of new 2W registrations. This rapid growth occurred even despite relatively limited policy support, although in 2025 the government confirmed that domestically assembled electric models would continue to be VAT exempt.”

In South Africa, however, fully electric vehicle sales still represented less than 1% of total new-car sales in 2025. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) recorded stronger momentum, accounting for more than 70% of total electric vehicle sales in the country.

Smaller but growing EV markets are also emerging in Ethiopia, Mauritius, Rwanda and Nigeria, reflecting increasing government support, fuel-import pressures and expanding interest in lower-cost electric mobility solutions.

Africa’s used-car market complicates EV transition

At the same time, Africa’s automotive market remains heavily dependent on used vehicle imports from major producing economies including Germany, Japan and the United States. Industry estimates suggest around 60% of annual additions to Africa’s vehicle stock consist of imported used cars, complicating efforts to accurately measure EV adoption across the continent.

Analysts say official registration and sales data often fail to distinguish between new electric vehicles, used imports and so-called zero-mileage exports, making comparisons across African markets difficult.

Ethiopia illustrates the data challenge. Estimates suggest cumulative retail sales of new EVs between 2021 and 2025 totalled only slightly above 2,000 units. However, Ethiopia’s vehicle licensing authority has reported cumulative electric-car sales of around 15,000 units between 2022 and 2024, claiming roughly half of all new cars sold in 2024 were electric.

Domestic manufacturing initiatives are also beginning to emerge. Neo Motors, Morocco’s domestic automaker, launched sales of its first electric model at the start of 2026 as the country seeks to position itself as a regional EV production hub alongside its expanding automotive export industry.

 

The African Engineering and Technology Network signs tenth university partner

Pan-African network, led by Carnegie Mellon University Africa, drives digital transformation on the continent through research, education, and entrepreneurship

College of Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University

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Carnegie Mellon University Africa announced today that the African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec) has signed its tenth university partner, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU). The network, launched in 2022, provides a vehicle for technology-focused universities in Africa to engage in deep collaboration to drive digital growth, create technology development, build pathways to opportunities for youth, and shape policy change.

Afretec Network members span the entire continent and represent North, South, East, West, and Central Africa. University partners include: Carnegie Mellon University Africa (Rwanda), Agostinho Neto University (Angola), Al Akhawayn University (Morocco), the American University in Cairo (Egypt), Université Cheikh Anta Diop (Senegal), University of Lagos (Nigeria), University of Nairobi (Kenya), University of Rwanda, University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and now Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (Ethiopia).

“We are proud to welcome Addis Ababa Science and Technology University as our tenth partner in the Afretec Network,” said Tim Brown, interim director of Carnegie Mellon University Africa. “The network is built on a model of collaboration and strengthened by each and every partner university. Our newest network member will bring perspective from a country known for a fast-growing digital economy and pan-African policy development.”

Afretec is focused on creating long-term sustained change across the continent, building and shaping ecosystems that will usher in economic growth:

• Research: Since its founding, Afretec has awarded almost $7.43M in research funding across the continent. With more than 40 research projects in the network’s portfolio, Afretec is raising the profile of African research with findings published in peer-reviewed journals and international conference presentations.

• Education: Afretec bridge programs, intended to prepare students for graduate studies, have trained more than 2,000 undergraduate students. Afretec has also trained almost 500 faculty members in topics such as proposal writing, AI in education, and teaching challenges. 

• Entrepreneurship: Afretec has created a formal and scalable relationship between academia and startups through their TechSkills Marketplace program. The program connects students with startups actively seeking tech talent, allowing them to explore entrepreneurship as a viable career pathway by contributing their skills in a startup environment.

AASTU is a public higher education institution established in 2011 as part of Ethiopia’s strategic vision to advance industrialization, technological innovation, and STEM education. Located in the southeastern Kilinto area of Addis Ababa—recognized as Ethiopia’s flagship industrial and pharmaceutical hub—the university serves as a center of excellence for science, technology, research, and innovation.

- - -

About the African Engineering and Technology Network: The African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec) is a pan-African collaboration of technology-focused universities working together to drive the digital transformation of Africa. The network is led by Carnegie Mellon University Africa. Learn more by visiting www.afretec.org.

About the College of Engineering and CMU-Africa: The College of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University is a top-ranked engineering college that is known for our Advanced Collaboration culture in research and education. The College is well-known for working on problems of both scientific and practical importance. Our “maker” culture is ingrained in all that we do, leading to novel approaches and transformative results. Our acclaimed faculty have a focus on innovation management and engineering to yield transformative results that will drive the intellectual and economic vitality of our community, nation, and world. 

Carnegie Mellon University Africa was established in 2011 through a partnership between Carnegie Mellon and the Government of Rwanda. CMU-Africa is the only U.S. research university offering its master’s degrees with a full-time faculty, staff, and operations in Africa. The institution is addressing the critical shortage of high-quality engineering talent required to accelerate the economic transformation of the African continent. For more information on the College of Engineering location in Africa, visit www.africa.engineering.cmu.edu.

Two killed in Kenya protests over US-backed Ebola isolation centre

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By bne IntelliNews June 2, 2026

Two people were shot dead in the central Kenyan town of Nanyuki during protests against plans to establish a US-backed Ebola isolation centre at the nearby Laikipia Air Base, according to the BBC.

The deaths occurred as demonstrations intensified over a proposed 50-bed Ebola treatment facility intended to treat US citizens affected by the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

One of the victims was reportedly shot near the Laikipia Air Base during a protest and later died after being taken to hospital by friends. A second man was brought to the hospital already dead by soldiers, the broadcaster reported.

Authorities had not officially confirmed the deaths at the time of reporting, with a police spokesperson told Reuters he was unaware of any fatalities linked to the protests. The bodies appeared to have gunshot wounds.

As IntelliNews reported, on June 1, hundreds of demonstrators marched through Nanyuki, blocked roads and burned tyres as protests escalated over the proposed facility. Police used tear gas to disperse crowds near the military installation. Last month, Kenya’s High Court temporarily barred the government from approving any arrangement linked to the establishment of an Ebola quarantine centre in the country pending further legal review.

Community leader Patrick Wahome told the BBC one of the victims was shot while returning home after closing his business.

The planned isolation centre has triggered growing public concern in Kenya over potential cross-border Ebola transmission risks, despite the country not recording any confirmed Ebola cases.

Kenya’s High Court last week temporarily halted implementation of the project following a legal challenge filed by a rights group, which argued the facility posed “grave and imminent risks” to public health.

Speaking publicly on the issue for the first time, William Ruto defended the arrangement, saying Kenya had “deployed every arsenal” to protect the country against Ebola risks.

Ruto said the United States had requested Kenya’s support in managing the outbreak response and described the arrangement as part of a longstanding partnership between the two countries.

“When President Donald Trump asked Kenya to support them by having a centre in Laikipia Airbase I gave the ok because it was an agreement with friends who have walked with Kenya for 30, 40 years,” Ruto is quoted as saying.

The president also urged Kenyans not to politicise the Ebola issue and warned politicians against making what he described as “reckless” statements about the matter.

Kenyan president defends US Ebola centre amid protests

Nairobi (AFP) – Kenya's president on Tuesday defended the opening of an Ebola quarantine centre for US nationals after a court halted the plan and security forces teargassed protesters fearing the deadly virus could spread in the country.


Issued on: 02/06/2026 - RFI

Ruto (pictured at the UN in Nairobi) defended the Ebola quarantine centre in Kenya reserved for US citizens © SIMON MAINA / AFP

The US-built facility at Kenya's Laikipia Air Base was due to open last week according to US officials, to quarantine Americans arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is battling a major Ebola outbreak.

The centre -- about 200 kilometres (125 miles) from the capital Nairobi -- was set to have 50 isolation beds and be managed by US medical staff.

Violent protests broke out near the facility on Monday amid anger at the US using Kenyan soil and bringing Ebola patients to the country. They were met with tear gas from police.

Police, emergency services and the Red Cross could not confirm reports of deaths during the protests. The Red Cross said they had only heard of two injuries.

In a post on X on Tuesday, President William Ruto said the proposed US facility was "neither unique nor exceptional but part of a broader national preparedness system", adding that it "will be there to serve the people of Kenya and to serve our friends, including the Americans".

On Monday, he said: "I can assure the people of Kenya that the agreement between the government of Kenya and the American government is for the good of our country and for the partnership."

"Why anybody would want to politicise, to mobilise negative politics on a matter so serious as a pandemic?" he continued.

"We are a responsible government. We know what we are doing. So people should relax."

Kenya has recorded no case of Ebola despite widespread testing of arrivals but neighbouring Uganda has registered 11 cases including one death.

However, the High Court extended a temporary halt to the plan on Tuesday, according to rights group Katiba Institute, which filed a petition last week claiming it was being established unilaterally and in secret.

The court said the government had seven days to "disclose all agreements" relating to the facility.

A small group of protesters gathered in central Nairobi on Tuesday, wearing white protective gear and carrying a coffin emblazoned with "Ebola" and placards reading: "Reject Ebola in Kenya".

There have been more than 1,000 suspected cases of Ebola in DRC since the outbreak was declared on May 15, including nearly 250 deaths, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.

© 2026 AFP

WHO seeks more aid for Congo as ebola outbreak continues to spread

The head of the World Health Organization met with Félix Tshisekedi on Monday to discuss the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ebola outbreak, as an aid agency warned the epidemic was likely far larger than official figures suggest. The government said confirmed Ebola cases had risen to 321.


Issued on: 02/06/2026 -  RFI

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus meets with Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi during a visit in Kinshasa, on 1 June, 2026. via REUTERS - Democratic Republic of Congo Pre

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Congo last week and called for greater international support to halt the spread of the disease. He first travelled from the capital, Kinshasa, to Ituri Province, where the first cases were confirmed.

The outbreak is already the third largest on record and is believed to have persisted undetected for several weeks, according to health officials. They say they are now behind the curve and struggling to bring it under control.

Tedros said he had seen some encouraging signs – including five certified recoveries – but also highlighted the need to increase testing and treatment capacity and strengthen trust in healthcare workers.

After flying back to Kinshasa, Tedros met President Felix Tshisekedi at his residence.

"This Ebola outbreak can be stopped when communities take ownership of the response and with strong government leadership," he said after the meeting. "We need to strengthen the capacity of health systems in the affected areas."

DRC faces 'catastrophic collision' of conflict and Ebola outbreak, WHO warns.

Furaha Tikamanyire, 29, a Congolese health worker who recovered from the Ebola virus stands with Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, on 31 May, 2026. REUTERS - Gradel Muyisa Mumbere


Call for help

The WHO also appealed to the international community for greater solidarity and resources. "There have been promises, but they need to materialise now," a WHO source said.

The global health organisation, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), pledged approximately $60 million to Moderna and two other groups to accelerate the development of vaccines against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.

The company told Reuters that vaccines against the strain could be ready for clinical trials within a few months.

China also announced on Monday that it would send a team of medical specialists to Congo to assist with the outbreak.

Tedros left Kinshasa on Monday evening to return to Geneva, according to his official programme.

Upgrading the response

RFI's correspondent in Kinshasa reported that some Congolese officials had initially questioned the WHO's communications strategy, describing it as "catastrophising".

Authorities sought to reassure the public, emphasising that the country has extensive experience, having already faced 17 Ebola outbreaks.

However, a member of the ministerial delegation sent to Bunia alongside the WHO team reported positive discussions.

Some encouraging developments also helped ease tensions, including the recovery of several patients and the opening of an Ebola treatment centre in Bunia by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) on Sunday.

The WHO's repeated calls for travel restrictions to be lifted have also been well received in Kinshasa.

A border health officer at the Busunga crossing between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo checks a traveler's temperature using a contactless infrared thermometer in Bundibugyo, on 18 May 2026. AFP - BADRU KATUMBA


In a joint statement issued on Sunday night, the WHO and the Congolese government acknowledged that it was "a challenging time" and said they were working to improve surveillance, testing and patient care.

"Persistent challenges include early detection and isolation of cases, contact tracing, safe and dignified burials, robust infection prevention and control in health facilities, and strong community awareness," the statement said.

Ebola outbreak declared in eastern DR Congo as regional alert raised

Larger figures?

The WHO said on Friday that there were 906 suspected Ebola cases in Congo, including 223 suspected deaths under investigation. The Congolese government said late on Sunday that the number of confirmed cases had risen to 282, with 42 deaths, after 19 new positive test results were recorded, before confirming on Monday that cases had increased further to 321.

According to data released by the communications ministry, there have been at least 264 confirmed cases in Ituri Province alone, as well as 15 in North Kivu Province and three in South Kivu Province.

Ebola cases have also been confirmed in neighbouring Uganda.

However, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warned on Monday that the outbreak was likely significantly larger and more advanced than official figures suggest.

The aid agency said in a statement that the virus may have been spreading for up to three months before the first official cases were detected in mid-May. With only 20 per cent of contacts currently being traced, it said health authorities are struggling to identify and isolate new chains of transmission.

"When four out of five contacts are not being traced, it becomes incredibly difficult to contain the outbreak or even understand its true scale," said Rachel Howard, IRC's senior technical emergency health adviser.

While Congolese officials are highly experienced in responding to Ebola outbreaks, they have little experience with the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, which is responsible for the current outbreak and for which there is no approved vaccine, the NGO added.

(with Reuters)

Brazil isolates two suspected Ebola cases as suspected cases in Congo surpass 1,000


Brazilian health authorities isolated two patients who recently arrived from African countries after they showed symptoms consistent with Ebola, officials said Friday, although one later tested negative. The move comes as the Democratic Republic of the Congo battles an outbreak that has surpassed 1,000 suspected cases and nearly 250 deaths since May.


Issued on: 01/06/2026 
By: FRANCE 24

Red Cross workers bury an Ebola victim at the Rwampara Cemetery, in Rwampara, DR Congo, May 23, 2026. © Moses Sawasawa, AP

Two patients who recently arrived in Brazil from African countries have been put in isolation after showing symptoms linked to Ebola, officials said, though one later tested negative for the virus.

A 37-year-old man who recently traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the outbreak has been concentrated, "exhibited symptoms such as fever, meeting the definition of a suspected case" of Ebola, the Sao Paulo state government said in a statement on Saturday.

The man was placed in isolation at the Emilio Ribas Institute of Infectious Diseases in Sao Paulo.

The patient was diagnosed with a severe form of meningitis and more tests were being conducted to screen for Ebola, officials added Sunday.


The Sao Paulo government said that despite the suspected case, "the technical assessment indicates that the risk of the disease being introduced into Brazil and South America remains very low."

Another man was placed in isolation in Rio de Janeiro after arriving from Uganda on May 22 and showing "viral symptoms such as cough, chills and diarrhea", local officials said.

Rio City Hall told AFP on Sunday that the man had tested positive for malaria, but that the "case remained under investigation".

On Sunday, Brazil's ministry of health said the man's tests showed "negative results for Ebola" although he remains in isolation until the investigation is completed.

There have been more than 1,000 suspected cases of Ebola in the DRC since the outbreak was declared on May 15, including nearly 250 deaths, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.

However, the true reach of the outbreak in the DRC, which is thought to have been circulating before it was detected, is likely to be much wider, the World Health Organization has warned.

At least 282 confirmed cases of Ebola have been reported in Congo’s ongoing outbreak, the central African nation said late Sunday.

In neighbouring Uganda, several infections and one death have been confirmed.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Trump's plan to send Ebola-exposed Americans to Kenya suffers major court blow

Bennito L. Kelty
May 29, 2026 
RAW STORY

Red Cross workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) load on a pickup truck the coffin with the body of Dr Tibenderana Katho Blaise who worked at the Centre Medical Evangelique (CME) in Hoho commune and died of Ebola virus, as aid agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus, before his burial in Bunia town, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 26, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer

Trump's plan to send Ebola-exposed Americans to Kenya instead of bringing them home suffered a major blow, according to reporting by The Daily Beast.

A Kenyan court suspended Trump's plans the day they were supposed to begin, The Beast reported. United States officials planned to quarantine Americans at a Kenyan air force base, with the White House describing it as a "state-of-the-art facility," ABC News reported.

The epicenter of the current outbreak, which has led to more than 1,000 suspected cases and nearly 250 deaths, is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Although no Americans have been reported infected on U.S soil, a doctor was treated for the virus in Germany, and six Americans have reportedly been exposed, The New York Post reported.

Kenyan Court Rejects Plan for US Ebola Quarantine Center Amid Growing Outbreak

Kenya’s largest medical professionals union, which welcomed the ruling, argued that if setting up an Ebola quarantine facility “is too dangerous for America, it is too dangerous for Kenya.”


A member of the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Ebola response team disinfects a restricted area outside the General Referral Hospital of Mongbwalu during outbreak preparedness and infection prevention activities on May 26, 2026 in Mongbwalu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
(Photo by Michel Lunanga/Getty Images)

Brett Wilkins
May 29, 2026
COMMON DREAMS

A day after US officials said Kenya had approved a request to open a quarantine center for Americans exposed to a rare strain of the Ebola virus, a court in the East African nation on Friday temporarily blocked the plan amid a growing outbreak in neighboring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The High Court prohibited the Kenyan government from establishing or operating any Ebola exposure, quarantine, isolation, or treatment facility in the country under any agreement with the United States or any other foreign government or agency.

‘A Dramatic Abdication’: Trump Admin to Send US Citizens With Ebola Exposure to Kenya



Trump Admin’s Insistence That Ebola Is Other Countries’ Problem Is ‘Opposite’ of Successful 2014 Response

The court also blocked Kenya’s government from allowing anyone infected with or exposed to Ebola into the country pending the outcome of the case, which was filed by the Katiba Institute, a civil rights group.

“At its core, the case is about preserving constitutional accountability, protecting public health, and ensuring that no government may place expediency above the lives and safety of the people of Kenya,” Katiba Institute executive director Nora Mbagathi said Thursday.

A 50-bed Ebola quarantine center was set to open Friday at Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki, located approximately 125 miles north of Nairobi. The facility would have been operated by members of the US Public Health Service, a uniformed branch of the Department of Health and Human Services.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday during a Cabinet meeting that “we cannot and will not allow any cases of Ebola to enter the United States.”

However, US public health officials strongly criticized the plan to quarantine Americans in Kenya instead of repatriating them, with one emergency physician accusing the Trump administration of “a dramatic abdication of what we owe our own.”

Elected leaders in Laikipia County welcomed the High Court’s ruling. They had opposed the US quarantine center, and had asked in a joint statement prior to the decision, “Why Laikipia?”

“What does the US government know about this that they are not accepting their own affected citizens into their soil but are ready to have them elsewhere?” the officials added.

The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU), which had strongly opposed the quarantine center and had threatened to strike, also welcomed the High Court ruling.

“We are utterly disgusted by the government’s apparent willingness to trade national biosecurity and the lives of its citizens for foreign aid,” KMPDU secretary general Davji Bhimji Attelah said in a statement Thursday, referring to the $13.5 million the Trump administration pledged for Ebola preparedness in Kenya, part of a broader $125 million US commitment toward fighting the disease.



“We will not sit back and watch Kenya be treated as a containment colony for a lethal pathogen that we did not generate,” Attelah added. “We will not tolerate an apartheid healthcare model on Kenyan soil. If it is too dangerous for America, it is too dangerous for Kenya.”

Critics say President Donald Trump’s ideologically driven decision to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization (WHO), his administration’s dismantling of the US Agency for International Development, and reduced funding for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s global public health efforts have adversely affected the response to the current Ebola epidemic, compared with 2014 and 2019 outbreaks.

The WHO said Friday that there were a total of 906 suspected Ebola cases and 223 suspected deaths reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as of Wednesday, and 125 confirmed cases in the DRC and 9 in Uganda, with 18 deaths among the confirmed cases in both countries.

Ebola—which typically kills between 25% and 90% of infected people, depending upon the strain of the virus and quality of available medical care—causes widespread and often catastrophic damage to the body’s blood vessels, immune system, and organs. The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals, including fruit bats, porcupines, and non-human primates, and then spreads between humans through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected people.