Why the Ebola Outbreak Has Been Nearly Impossible to Stop
The Daily
At the front lines of the Ebola crisis in Central Africa, badly equipped health workers with little outside support are losing the fight against one of the worst outbreaks in history.
Declan Walsh, a New York Times correspondent covering the outbreak, takes us to the epicenter of the virus and explains why, so far, its spread has been so difficult to stop.
Guest: Declan Walsh, the chief Africa correspondent for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Inside the Ebola epicenter, the virus rages with little to stop it.
- Here’s what to know about the Ebola outbreak.
Photo: Arlette Bashizi for The New York Times
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?sou.... For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
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Raw Description
<p>At the front lines of the Ebola crisis in Central Africa, badly equipped health workers with little outside support are losing the fight against one of the worst outbreaks in history.</p> <p>Declan Walsh, a New York Times correspondent covering the outbreak, takes us to the epicenter of the virus and explains why, so far, its spread has been so difficult to stop.</p> <p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/declan-walsh" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Declan Walsh</strong></a>, the chief Africa correspondent for The New York Times.</p> <p>Background reading: </p> <ul> <li>Inside the Ebola epicenter, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/world/africa/ebola-epicenter-congo.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the virus rages with little to stop it</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/world/africa/what-to-know-ebola-africa.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Here’s what to know</a> about the Ebola outbreak.</li> </ul> <p>Photo: Arlette Bashizi for The New York Times</p> <p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>nytimes.com/thedaily</strong></a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p> <p> </p> <p><p>Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.</p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>
Show Notes
At the front lines of the Ebola crisis in Central Africa, badly equipped health workers with little outside support are losing the fight against one of the worst outbreaks in history.
Declan Walsh, a New York Times correspondent covering the outbreak, takes us to the epicenter of the virus and explains why, so far, its spread has been so difficult to stop.
Guest: Declan Walsh, the chief Africa correspondent for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Inside the Ebola epicenter, the virus rages with little to stop it.
- Here’s what to know about the Ebola outbreak.
Photo: Arlette Bashizi for The New York Times
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?sou.... For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Raw Description
<p>At the front lines of the Ebola crisis in Central Africa, badly equipped health workers with little outside support are losing the fight against one of the worst outbreaks in history.</p> <p>Declan Walsh, a New York Times correspondent covering the outbreak, takes us to the epicenter of the virus and explains why, so far, its spread has been so difficult to stop.</p> <p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/declan-walsh" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Declan Walsh</strong></a>, the chief Africa correspondent for The New York Times.</p> <p>Background reading: </p> <ul> <li>Inside the Ebola epicenter, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/30/world/africa/ebola-epicenter-congo.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the virus rages with little to stop it</a>.</li> <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/world/africa/what-to-know-ebola-africa.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Here’s what to know</a> about the Ebola outbreak.</li> </ul> <p>Photo: Arlette Bashizi for The New York Times</p> <p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>nytimes.com/thedaily</strong></a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p> <p> </p> <p><p>Subscribe today at <a href="http://nytimes.com/podcasts">nytimes.com/podcasts</a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher">https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher</a>. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.</p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>