WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda a global health emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) after at least 80 suspected deaths were reported.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or targeted treatments. WHO said the situation does not meet the threshold for a pandemic, but warned that the risk of further regional spread is high.

As of Saturday, health authorities in eastern DRC’s Ituri province had reported 246 suspected cases, including eight laboratory-confirmed infections. Cases have also been detected in Uganda, including two confirmed infections in Kampala, one of them fatal.

WHO said international spread has already occurred, prompting the agency to urge countries to strengthen surveillance, screening and contact tracing. It advised against border closures, saying they could drive unmonitored cross-border movement.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has activated its emergency response center and is sending additional personnel to the region. Reports said at least six Americans in the DRC were exposed to the virus, though U.S. officials stressed the risk to the United States remains low.

Ebola is spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and internal bleeding. The DRC, where the virus was first identified in 1976, is experiencing its 17th recorded outbreak.