South Sudan’s government has rejected concerns raised by six Western and Asian diplomatic missions over the risk of an Ebola outbreak, saying no cases have been confirmed in the country despite an ongoing regional epidemic.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government remained committed to protecting public health and appreciated the support of international partners in strengthening national preparedness and response capacity.
It urged diplomatic missions to channel their concerns through established diplomatic channels, cautioning against public statements that could create unnecessary fear.
“Public statements on public health matters should be guided by verified information and avoid raising undue alarm or creating unnecessary fear among the public,” the ministry said.
The response followed a joint statement by the embassies of Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States, which expressed concern about the high risk of an Ebola outbreak in South Sudan.
The six missions said the threat highlighted the urgency for South Sudan’s leaders to use public revenue to finance the health sector, including paying the salaries of public health workers.
They also called on the government to ensure humanitarian organisations had unhindered access throughout the country to reach people in need.
The diplomatic statement did not claim that an outbreak had been confirmed in South Sudan but warned of the risks and the need to strengthen health services and ensure humanitarian access.
The concerns come as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) battles an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease, a rare strain of Ebola declared in May 2026. The outbreak has also affected other countries, including Uganda and Kenya, prompting regional authorities to strengthen surveillance and cross-border preparedness.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said in an update on November 6 that the DRC had reported 10,668 confirmed cases and 5,198 deaths as of November 3. Kenya had reported nine confirmed cases, while Uganda’s outbreak had been brought under control.
South Sudan shares a border with the DRC, and frequent population movements, cross-border trade and humanitarian displacement have heightened concerns about the possible introduction of the virus.
In a separate statement on Thursday, the WHO said the risk of Ebola being imported into South Sudan had risen to 99% in its October assessment, citing porous borders and population movements. A joint assessment in September identified 3,450 people who had crossed into South Sudan from the DRC.
The WHO said South Sudan had not recorded a confirmed case but had strengthened surveillance, screening at border points, laboratory preparedness and community awareness programmes.
The agency said the country’s national preparedness level stood at 72.5% at the end of October, with measures targeting 15 high-risk counties. It reported that 76 suspected Ebola alerts had been recorded by October 30. Of these, 33 tested negative through laboratory testing, while the remaining alerts were ruled out following investigations.
The six diplomatic missions’ call for increased domestic health spending comes amid wider concerns about the sustainability of essential services in a country where international humanitarian organisations remain central to healthcare delivery.
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