The World Health Organization has declared that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda is a “public health emergency of international concern”. The announcement came on Sunday after 88 deaths and more than 300 suspected cases were linked to the Bundibugyo virus, one of three strains causing Ebola virus disease. Unlike the better-known Zaire strain, there are no approved vaccines, treatments, or specific tests for the Bundibugyo strain.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director general, convened a formal emergency committee, with experts noting that the speed of the declaration reflected the gravity of the situation. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced the outbreak publicly on Friday, and its director general, Dr Jean Kaseya, told Sky News he was “on panic mode” due to the lack of medicines and vaccines. He warned that the outbreak highlights the need for manufacturing capacity in Africa, urging Western countries to recognise that global travel puts them at risk as well.
In the DRC’s Ituri province, there have been 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases, and 246 suspected cases. Two cases, including one death, have been reported in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, among people who had travelled from the DRC. The WHO noted significant uncertainties about the true number of infections and potential geographic spread, warning that the signs point to a “potentially much larger outbreak”.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it was supporting safe withdrawal of a small number of Americans directly affected and has activated its emergency response centre. The WHO emphasised the ongoing conflict in Ituri, with many people moving and living in close quarters, increasing the risk of spread.
