The World Health Organisation has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, following 80 suspected deaths. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency, but the WHO warned that countries sharing land borders with the DRC face a high risk of further spread.
Current Situation
On Sunday, the UN health agency reported that as of Saturday, there had been 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases, and 246 suspected cases in the DRC's Ituri province, spanning at least three health zones: Bunia, Rwampara, and Mongbwalu. A ninth case was confirmed in the eastern Congolese city of Goma, according to a statement by M23 rebels. The DRC health ministry had previously stated on Friday that 80 people had died in this new outbreak in the eastern province.
This marks the 17th outbreak in the country, where Ebola was first identified in 1976. The WHO noted that the outbreak could be significantly larger than reported, given the high positivity rate of initial samples and the increasing number of suspected cases.
Unique Challenges
The outbreak is considered extraordinary because there are no approved therapeutics or vaccines specifically for the Bundibugyo virus, unlike for the Ebola-Zaire strains. All but one of the DRC's previous outbreaks were caused by the Zaire strain. The DRC-Uganda outbreak poses a public health risk to other countries, with some cases of international spread already documented. The WHO advised countries to activate national disaster and emergency management mechanisms and implement cross-border screening and screening at main internal roads.
In Uganda's capital, Kampala, two apparently unrelated laboratory-confirmed cases, including one death, were reported on Friday and Saturday, involving individuals traveling from the DRC. A laboratory-confirmed case was also reported in the DRC capital, Kinshasa, from a person returning from Ituri.
Travel and Containment Measures
The WHO recommended that Bundibugyo virus-disease contacts or cases should not travel internationally unless as part of a medical evacuation. It advised immediate isolation of confirmed cases and daily monitoring of contacts, with restricted national travel and no international travel until 21 days after exposure. However, the WHO urged countries not to close borders or restrict travel and trade out of fear, as this could lead to informal border crossings that are not monitored.
The DRC's dense tropical forests are a natural reservoir for the Ebola virus. Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, stated that he had requested technical guidance and recommendations on the potential need to declare the outbreak a public health emergency of continental security. The often-fatal virus causes fever, body aches, vomiting, and diarrhoea, spreading through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons, contaminated materials, or those who have died from the disease.
