The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in Ituri province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" after about 246 suspected cases and at least 80 deaths were reported.
However, WHO stated that the situation does not yet qualify as a "global pandemic." Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, warned that there remains significant uncertainty regarding the true number of infections and the outbreak’s full extent.
WHO reported that the Ebola strain causing this outbreak is the "Bundibugyo" virus, for which there is currently no officially approved treatment or vaccine.
So far, 8 laboratory-confirmed cases have been identified, with suspected cases and deaths spread across three health zones, including Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, as well as the gold mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara.
Meanwhile, the virus has crossed into Uganda, where 2 confirmed cases have been reported. Ugandan officials noted that a 59-year-old man who died last Thursday tested positive for Ebola.
WHO warned that countries bordering Congo are at high risk for further spread due to travel, trade, and population movements. It urged Congo and Uganda to establish emergency operations centers to trace contacts and control infections.
The organization also recommended immediately isolating confirmed patients from the community and treating them until they test negative twice in a row, at least 48 hours apart.
WHO emphasized that countries outside the affected area should not close borders or restrict travel and trade, as such measures "often stem from fear and lack scientific evidence."
Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo and is believed to originate from bats. This current outbreak is the 17th in the country.
The disease spreads through contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals and through skin wounds, causing severe bleeding and organ failure. The average fatality rate is about 50 percent.
Over the past 50 years, approximately 15,000 people have died from Ebola in Africa. The deadliest outbreak in Congo occurred between 2018 and 2020, claiming nearly 2,300 lives. Last year, another 45 deaths were reported from outbreaks in remote areas of the country.
/sourceBBC