- An Ebola outbreak, with over 390 suspected cases and at least 100 deaths, is spreading through eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and into neighbouring Uganda, prompting high alert in Rwanda and South Sudan.
- The World Health Organisation has declared the Bundibugyo strain outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern," noting there is no approved vaccine or targeted treatment, and the true scale of infections is likely much higher.
- Rory Stewart, a former UK Africa minister, has warned that the outbreak highlights the "dangerous" threat posed by significant UK and US aid cuts to global pandemic preparedness and response efforts.
- US foreign assistance spending fell by nearly 57 per cent after the administration dismantled USAID, which had financed crucial laboratory networks and disease surveillance, leading to late detection and weakened health systems.
- The UK is also cutting billions from its aid budget to fund increased defence spending, further undermining the infrastructure needed to detect and respond to outbreaks, which experts describe as a "canary in the coal mine" for future global health crises.
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