Outbreak Watch: August 7, 2026

Ebola nears 4,000 confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, New World screwworm continues circulating in Texas, and the U.S. cyclosporiasis outbreak is expanding. In this Outbreak Watch, we look at what has changed and what the evidence actually tells us, including why there’s currently no evidence that mutation explains the severity of the Ebola outbreak and why wildlife surveillance may be crucial to understanding screwworm transmission. Then we zoom out for Global Signals and Surveillance Milestones: Chile’s nationwide hantavirus response, H5 avian influenza, Oropouche virus, a 30-year measles high in the United States, and rising Hansen’s disease cases in Florida. All Citations in companion blog post at the website. Subscribe to the free Field Notes newsletter to continue the conversation around the weekly episodes.