ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the Ebola disease outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday after more than 300 suspected cases and 88 deaths.
In a post on X, the World Health Organization said the outbreak does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic, and advised against the closure of international borders.
Ebola is highly contagious and can be contracted via bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen. The disease it causes is rare, but severe and often fatal.
Health authorities have confirmed the current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare variant of the Ebola disease that has no approved therapeutics or vaccines. Although more than 20 Ebola outbreaks have taken place in Congo and Uganda, this is only the third time the Bundibugyo virus has been reported.
Congo accounts for all except two of the cases, both of which were reported in neighboring Uganda, the WHO said.
Officials first reported the spread of the disease in Congo's eastern province of Ituri, close to Uganda and South Sudan, on Friday. On Saturday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported 336 suspected cases and 87 deaths.
“There are significant uncertainties to the true number of infected persons and geographic spread associated with this event at the present time. In addition, there is limited understanding of the epidemiological links with known or suspected cases,” Tedros said.
Uganda on Saturday confirmed one case it said was imported from Congo, and said the patient died at a hospital in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, and the WHO said that a second case has been reported in Kampala. The two cases had no apparent links to each other and both patients had traveled from Congo, it added.
The Bundibugyo virus was first detected in Uganda’s Bundibugyo district during a 2007-2008 outbreak that infected 149 people and killed 37 people. The second time was in 2012 in an outbreak in Isiro, Congo, where 57 cases and 29 deaths were reported.
WHO’s emergency declaration is meant to spur donor agencies and countries into action. However, the global response to previous declarations has been mixed.
In 2024 when the WHO declared mpox outbreaks in Congo and elsewhere in Africa a global emergency, experts at the time said it did little to get supplies like diagnostic tests, medicines and vaccines to affected countries quickly.
A health worker wearing protective gear walks outside the a hospital in Bunia, Congo, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Jorkim Jotham Pituwa)
A health official uses a thermometer to screen people in front of Kibuli Muslim Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/ Hajarah Nalwadda)
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — When Ronda Rousey finally got back into a mixed martial arts cage after 9 1/2 years away from her sport, she couldn't wait even one more minute to collect another arm — and to have her own arm raised one last time.
Rousey stopped Gina Carano with her signature armbar just 17 seconds into the two iconic fighters' double comeback bout Saturday night.
After finishing the 44-year-old Carano with a ferocity that evoked her famous heyday, the 39-year-old Rousey reaffirmed that this was only the epilogue on her historic MMA career. She insists she is headed into retirement after ending on a dominant victory.
“I was hoping to come out as unscathed as possible,” Rousey said. “I didn’t really want to hurt her. Luckily it was beautiful martial arts, that’s what I think that was. It was art.”
Rousey (13-2) didn't waste an instant after the opening bell, immediately charging and tackling Carano. Rousey quickly moved into position and applied her famous finishing move, wrenching Carano's arm as the fight was stopped.
Rousey famously won eight fights in less than a minute during her meteoric rise through MMA in the 2010s. When asked if she considered waiting a bit longer to go for the finish in this comeback fight, since it was so many years in the making, Rousey laughed.
“Hell no,” she said. “My husband and my kids are watching me. I don’t want to put them through anything more than I have to.”
Carano, who hadn’t fought in 17 years, was all smiles even after the swift end to one of the longest layoffs in pro sports history. Rousey and Carano hugged and shared warm words after the finish, raising each other's arms in victory.
“I wanted that to last longer," Carano said. "I felt so ready. I’ve never felt that good. But I haven’t been here for 17 years ... and I wanted to hit her.”
This improbable double comeback bout united two of the most important fighters from MMA's past two decades.
Rousey became one of the world's most famous athletes as she won the first women's title in the UFC, which only began to promote women's MMA because of Rousey's undeniable talent and star power.
Rousey first became interested in MMA because of Carano, whose athleticism and star power made her into a television headliner when the nascent sport was still fighting for legitimacy and acceptance in the late 2000s.
Rousey left the sport after consecutive losses, while Carano moved on to an acting career after taking her first loss.
After having two children and settling into post-fighting life on her farm in Riverside, Rousey seriously began to consider an MMA return last year. She immediately focused on a fight with Carano, whose long-thriving career as an actor abruptly ended in 2021 with her series of controversial social media posts.
Carano was happy to finally accept the comeback she had occasionally considered, saying she used her preparations as a way to overcome multiple health problems from recent years.
“Getting in here after 17 years was a victory,” Carano said. “Fighting a legend was a victory. I feel great. But she trained. She had her game plan. I have so much love and respect for her.”
The show at Intuit Dome was the first live MMA event on Netflix, which is moving steadily into combat sports.
Rousey had repeatedly said this will be her final fight, while Carano has said she doesn't know what the future holds. Afterward, Carano said she hasn't closed the door on another bout, and promoter Nakisa Bidarian said he would be eager to put Carano on another show.
“I think 17 years (off) was a lot,” Carano said. “(Being) 44 is a lot. But I’m going to go look at this. I didn’t get anything out I expected to get in this fight.”
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Ronda Rousey, of the United States, behind, hugs Gina Carano, of the United States, after Rousey defeated Carano in their featherweight mixed martial arts fight Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong )
Ronda Rousey, of the United States, left, celebrates after defeating Gina Carano, of the United States, right, in their featherweight mixed martial arts fight Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong )
Gina Carano, of the United States, left, lifts the arm of Ronda Rousey, of the United States, after Rousey defeated Carano in their featherweight mixed martial arts fight Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong )
Gina Carano, of the United States, is introduced before facing Ronda Rousey, of the United States, in a featherweight mixed martial arts fight Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong )
Ronda Rousey, of the United States, is introduced before facing Gina Carano, of the United States, in a featherweight mixed martial arts fight Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong )
Ronda Rousey, of the United States, is introduced before facing Gina Carano, of the United States, in a featherweight mixed martial arts fight Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong )
Ronda Rousey, of the United States, left, celebrates after defeating Gina Carano, of the United States, right, in their featherweight mixed martial arts fight Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong )
Ronda Rousey, of the United States, right, celebrates after defeating Gina Carano, of the United States, left, in their featherweight mixed martial arts fight Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong )
