UN News Today 29 May 2026 |

Early detection of Ebola critical as WHO prioritises hunt for new treatments

Two weeks into the latest Ebola outbreak, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that there are 906 suspected cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including 223 suspected deaths.

Since 15 May, UN agencies have been supporting both the DRC and neighboring Uganda to contain the outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, which spreads through close contact. Anaïs Legand, a WHO Technical Officer told reporters in Geneva on Friday:

“It’s a disease that you get when you care for someone. When you care for your husband or your partner or your child or your mother. You get it when you want to help someone with symptoms. And this is terrible, because this disease, to avoid getting it, you have to ask communities not to touch someone they love when they are feeling sick. But this is critical.”

Based on previous outbreaks the lethality ranges between 30 and 50 per cent.

Early detection and community mobilization remain critical to saving lives, with potential treatments and vaccines still being assessed, WHO said on Friday.

For confirmed cases, three candidate therapeutics for treatment have been prioritised for clinical trials, Ms. Legand revealed, while a preventative treatment is also being prioritised for those who have been in contact with confirmed cases.

UN urges stronger protections for child safety online

Meanwhile, the UN human rights office is calling on governments and technology companies to do more to protect children online, warning that digital platforms often expose young viewers to risks that threaten their safety, privacy and wellbeing. 

High Commissioner Volker Türk said online harms are not inevitable but are often the result of platform design choices, including features that encourage excessive use. 

He stressed that protecting children online is an urgent priority but cautioned against relying solely on blanket social media bans. 

His office, OHCHR, has released a new set of guidelines, Getting Children’s Safety Online Right, which calls for safer platform design, stronger oversight, greater accountability for tech companies, and better protections. 

The recommendations also encourage governments to involve children in shaping online safety policies and to ensure that age verification measures do not create new privacy risks. 

The UN warns that restrictions based only on age may fail to address the underlying features that make platforms unsafe and could push children toward less regulated online spaces.

WFP scales up emergency response in Akobo as catastrophic hunger and malnutrition deepen

Turning to South Sudan finally, where The World Food Programme (WFP) has scaled-up its emergency response in Akobo East, delivering vital food and nutrition assistance to hundreds of thousands of people facing catastrophic hunger and malnutrition.

The move follows an uptick in violence in early March which displaced approximately 142,000 people from Akobo County and surrounding areas.

“Our hope is to continue to reach people in need. Sustained safety and security of humanitarians and humanitarian cargo is therefore crucial,” said Mutinta Chimuka, WFP Country Director in South Sudan. 

According to the latest global famine alert system update, parts of Akobo County are experiencing “catastrophic” levels of hunger with one of four counties at risk of famine if conditions deteriorate. 

Meanwhile, severe malnutrition among children under five and breastfeeding mothers is rising sharply.

Since launching its emergency response three weeks ago, WFP has reached more than 60,000 vulnerable people in Akobo, including more than 15,000 people with emergency food assistance, despite aid operations being hampered by insecurity, infrastructure damage, and the rainy season. 

Jolina Dong, UN News.