The head of the World Health Organization has declared that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is 'spreading rapidly' and has upgraded the risk assessment to 'very high' at the national level.
WHO Director-General's Statement
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom announced on Friday that the U.N. health agency has revised its assessment of the risk within Congo upward from 'high' to 'very high'. The risk of regional spread remains high, while the global risk is still considered low, he told reporters.
'We have 82 confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with seven confirmed deaths,' Tedros said, 'but we know the epidemic in DRC is much larger.'
Current Situation
The WHO chief revealed that there are now nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths related to the outbreak. In neighboring Uganda, the situation is described as 'stable', with two confirmed cases in individuals who had traveled from Congo, resulting in one death.
The upgrade in risk assessment underscores the urgency of the situation, as health authorities work to contain the spread of the virus. The WHO continues to coordinate with national and regional health agencies to implement control measures and prevent further transmission.
