WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo, Uganda Global Health Emergency

The World Health Organization has declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a “public health emergency of international concern” amid rising fears over the spread of the deadly virus.

According to the WHO, the current outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo virus strain, one of the Orthoebolaviruses known to cause Ebola disease.

Although the outbreak has not yet been classified as a pandemic, health authorities say the increasing number of infections and deaths, combined with the absence of an approved vaccine for the strain, has heightened global concern.

The disease has reportedly claimed more than 130 lives, while over 500 suspected cases have been recorded across affected areas.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus disclosed that at least 30 confirmed cases have already been identified in the remote Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In Uganda, authorities confirmed two laboratory cases, including one death in the capital city, Kampala. Health officials said both patients had recently travelled from the DRC.

The United States has also intensified precautionary measures after one American citizen working in the DRC tested positive for the virus.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new travel restrictions and airport screening measures aimed at limiting the spread of the disease.

The CDC also activated Title 42 public health measures, temporarily restricting entry into the United States for certain travellers coming from affected regions.

Ebola is a severe and often fatal viral disease transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons, contaminated surfaces, or infected corpses.

Symptoms typically include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.

Health experts warned that the Bundibugyo strain currently driving the outbreak has no approved vaccine or targeted treatment, making containment efforts more difficult.

The WHO said several factors informed the emergency declaration, including the rapid increase in deaths, cross-border transmission risks, weak healthcare systems, ongoing armed conflict, and large-scale displacement in eastern Congo.

Medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières described the situation as extremely concerning, warning that poor healthcare access and insecurity in affected regions could worsen the crisis.

This marks the 17th Ebola outbreak recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the virus was first discovered in 1976.