WHO Declares Congo Ebola Emergency

The World Health Organization has declared an Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern, after suspected cases and deaths spread across Ituri province and into neighboring Uganda.

The WHO said the outbreak has reached around 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths, though Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that there are still “significant uncertainties” about the true number of infections and the geographic spread of the virus.

The agency said the outbreak does not meet the threshold for a pandemic emergency.

The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments. The WHO said there are currently eight laboratory-confirmed cases, with suspected cases and deaths reported across three health zones, including Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, and the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara.

The virus has also crossed into Uganda, where two confirmed cases have been reported. Ugandan officials said a 59-year-old man who died Thursday had tested positive.

Countries bordering DR Congo are considered at high risk for further spread because of population movement, trade and travel. Africa CDC has also expressed concern over the outbreak’s presence in urban areas and mining zones, where mobility is high and contact tracing can be difficult. Because naturally, the virus chose the least convenient geography available.

The WHO urged DR Congo and Uganda to establish emergency operation centers, expand surveillance, trace contacts and strengthen infection-prevention measures. It said confirmed cases should be isolated and treated until two Bundibugyo-specific tests, taken at least 48 hours apart, come back negative.

The agency also advised neighboring countries to increase surveillance and health reporting, while warning governments outside the affected region not to close borders or restrict travel and trade. Such measures, it said, are usually driven by fear and are not supported by science.

Ebola was first identified in 1976 in what is now DR Congo and is believed to have originated in bats. This is the country’s 17th outbreak of the disease.

The virus spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids, especially through broken skin or mucous membranes. Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rash and, in severe cases, bleeding and organ failure.

There is no proven cure for Ebola. The WHO estimates the average fatality rate at around 50%, though it varies by strain and quality of medical care.

DR Congo’s deadliest outbreak occurred from 2018 to 2020, killing nearly 2,300 people. Last year, 45 people died in an outbreak in a remote region.