WHO says early detection key as Ebola vaccines under assessment

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WHO says early detection key as Ebola vaccines under assessment

2026-05-30 13:14 Last Updated At：06-01 11:07

As the Ebola outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain continues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that early detection and community mobilization remain critical to saving lives, while potential treatments and vaccines are still being assessed.

As of Friday, WHO estimated 906 suspected cases in the DR Congo, including 223 suspected deaths.

Confirmed cases stand at 134 in DR Congo, with 17 confirmed deaths. Uganda has reported nine confirmed cases, including one death.

The WHO said that it is currently working with the governments of DR Congo and Uganda to advance the evaluation of drugs and vaccines, while expanding medical treatment capacity. Three candidate therapeutic drugs and two candidate vaccines have been included for further research.

"Now we have this candidate therapeutics and vaccine, WHO is working closely with the governments of both countries to support the assessment of these candidate medical countermeasures, while at the same time and urgently, scaling up care capacities to ensure all patients in those affected communities can access optimized supportive care that can help save lives," said Anais Legand, a WHO technical officer.

Iran navy stresses full control of Strait of Hormuz, US rejects claims

The Iranian Army's Navy stressed full control and dominance over the eastern waters of the Strait of Hormuz, while the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) rejected the Iranian claims.

In a statement released on the army's website, the navy announced that its forces have full control and dominance over the strait's eastern waters.

In a post on social media, the CENTCOM dismissed Iran's claims of its control over the Strait, saying that the United States and its regional partners control the Strait of Hormuz.

The CENTCOM also said a Singapore-registered container vessel was hit by a projectile of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC). The vessel sank while being towed to shore. It said more than 40 commercial ships continue to flow through the Strait of Hormuz in the last 24 hours despite the attack.

The United States also denied the Iranian claim that hundreds of U.S. service members were killed in Jordan.

"Three American service members were killed in action in July as partner forces defended against Iranian attacks," said the CENTCOM in the post.