WHO Raises Ebola Risk in Congo to Highest Level; Taiwan CDC Maintains Level 2 Alert
The WHO has raised the Ebola risk in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the highest level. Taiwan's CDC stated that the global risk remains 'low' and there are no confirmed cases in Taiwan, maintaining a Level 2 travel alert.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 23, 2026 at 13:55
- 🔍 Collected: May 23, 2026 at 14:01 (6 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 31, 2026 at 20:58 (198h 56m after Collected)
The deadly Ebola outbreak is ravaging the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the risk level there to the highest level. The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stated today that the global risk is 'low,' and there are no confirmed or suspected cases in Taiwan. The travel alert remains at Level 2, and the public is urged to remain calm while monitoring continues.
The WHO announced on the 22nd that, as the death toll continues to rise, the risk posed by the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been raised to the highest level.
Experts suspect that this outbreak has been spreading under the radar for some time and is caused by the rarer Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.
Regarding whether to raise Taiwan's international travel alert, Tseng Shu-hui, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Welfare's CDC, told reporters today that the WHO currently assesses the risk in the African region as 'high' and the global risk as 'low.' The overall threat to Taiwan remains low.
Explaining the reason for the risk level increase in the DRC, Tseng noted that according to the WHO, suspected or confirmed cases have surged from about 246 to nearly 750 in a short period, and deaths have risen to 177, indicating a significant acceleration in the spread of the epidemic.
Tseng said the WHO also warned that the actual scale of infection 'could be much larger than currently known,' meaning the virus may have been spreading silently in the community for some time. Signs of cross-border transmission, combined with a lack of medical resources, difficulties in contact tracing, and security issues in some areas, have further increased the difficulty of prevention and control.
However, Tseng also reminded that the WHO emphasized that although the outbreak poses a very high threat locally, Ebola is currently transmitted mainly through close contact with the body fluids of patients, with no evidence of airborne transmission, and international exported cases are limited. Therefore, the global risk level remains low.
Tseng stated that when the WHO previously declared the Ebola outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda as a 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC),' Taiwan raised its travel alert for both countries from Level 1 to Level 2. The Level 2 alert is currently being maintained while monitoring continues.
The CDC is using its Facebook page to promote awareness through an anthropomorphic character, 'Ebola,' reminding the public that Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with blood or body fluids and does not spread easily like respiratory diseases. The public is urged not to panic but to pay attention to travel safety.
The WHO announced on the 22nd that, as the death toll continues to rise, the risk posed by the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been raised to the highest level.
Experts suspect that this outbreak has been spreading under the radar for some time and is caused by the rarer Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.
Regarding whether to raise Taiwan's international travel alert, Tseng Shu-hui, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Welfare's CDC, told reporters today that the WHO currently assesses the risk in the African region as 'high' and the global risk as 'low.' The overall threat to Taiwan remains low.
Explaining the reason for the risk level increase in the DRC, Tseng noted that according to the WHO, suspected or confirmed cases have surged from about 246 to nearly 750 in a short period, and deaths have risen to 177, indicating a significant acceleration in the spread of the epidemic.
Tseng said the WHO also warned that the actual scale of infection 'could be much larger than currently known,' meaning the virus may have been spreading silently in the community for some time. Signs of cross-border transmission, combined with a lack of medical resources, difficulties in contact tracing, and security issues in some areas, have further increased the difficulty of prevention and control.
However, Tseng also reminded that the WHO emphasized that although the outbreak poses a very high threat locally, Ebola is currently transmitted mainly through close contact with the body fluids of patients, with no evidence of airborne transmission, and international exported cases are limited. Therefore, the global risk level remains low.
Tseng stated that when the WHO previously declared the Ebola outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda as a 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC),' Taiwan raised its travel alert for both countries from Level 1 to Level 2. The Level 2 alert is currently being maintained while monitoring continues.
The CDC is using its Facebook page to promote awareness through an anthropomorphic character, 'Ebola,' reminding the public that Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with blood or body fluids and does not spread easily like respiratory diseases. The public is urged not to panic but to pay attention to travel safety.
FAQ
How is Taiwan's epidemic prevention level determined?
It is determined by the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) based on WHO recommendations and international infection trends.