Health agencies say the Ebola response is falling behind the outbreak

The World Health Organization warned on May 25 that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda was outpacing response efforts, with at least 220 suspected deaths. Spain confirmed a new hantavirus case in a citizen who had left the cruise ship MV Hondius. The two outbreaks were separate, but both were still generating travel rules.

The Bahamas announced enhanced screening and possible quarantine for travelers who had recently visited Congo, South Sudan, and Uganda. Canada announced a 90-day entry ban on residents of those three countries and quarantine for some travelers. The United States said it planned to send health officers to Kenya to open a potential quarantine facility.

Russian health minister Mikhail Murashko said Russia had developed a vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. That claim stood as a ministerial statement rather than a completed international rollout. Neighboring countries were still adding border controls while the science claim circulated.

On May 27 director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the war in Congo could worsen the epidemic. Uganda temporarily closed its border with Congo and imposed quarantine and screening after cases linked to the Congolese outbreak. The number of hantavirus cases linked to MV Hondius rose to 13.

Tedros visited Congo on May 28 and said the outbreak could still be contained. The European Union received a shipment of favipiravir for possible use against hantavirus. The American Cancer Society added the FDA-approved Guardant Health Shield blood test to recommended colorectal cancer screening options in the United States.

By May 29 Mexican airlines Aeromexico, Viva, and Volaris were restricting travel to Mexico for passengers who had been in Congo, South Sudan, or Uganda in the previous 21 days. Nigeria restricted inbound flights from those three countries. Uganda's health ministry later reported two more Ebola cases in Kampala, bringing the country's total to nine, and the MV Hondius was cleared to sail again after cleaning and disinfection.