Terrifying Ebola warning issued by World Health Organisation | World | News

The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, warning of a potentially much larger epidemic than currently detected. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued the statement on Sunday following more than 300 suspected cases and at least 87 deaths.

One laboratory-confirmed case was reported in Congo’s capital Kinshasa, about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the epicenter in Ituri province, while two confirmed cases, including one death, have reached Uganda’s capital Kampala.

Tedros said: “There is currently significant uncertainty about the actual number of infected people and geographical spread associated with this event.

“There is also limited understanding of epidemiological links to known or suspected cases.”

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. This is only the third time the variant has been identified. The highly contagious disease spreads through body fluids such as blood, vomit and semen, causing serious and often fatal illness.

The WHO highlighted worrying signs of wider spread, although it stressed that the situation did not yet meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency like Covid-19 and advised against closing borders. These include high positivity rates among tested samples, clusters of deaths and community spread, particularly in the mining district of Mongwalu.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said the outbreak began in April but was only officially confirmed on Friday. By the time it was first flagged via social media on May 5, nearly 50 people had died. The earliest known suspected victim, a 59-year-old man, developed symptoms on April 24 and died three days later.

As of Saturday, Congo had recorded 336 suspected cases and 87 deaths; The vast majority of cases are in the country. At least four healthcare workers died showing symptoms of Ebola.

Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya warned that a large number of active cases remain in the community, “significantly complicating containment and contact tracing efforts.”

Fierce clashes with Islamic State-backed militants in Ituri, as well as population movements linked to mining and cross-border travel, have further disrupted response operations.

The emergency declaration was designed to step up international aid and donor support, but experts noted mixed success in previous declarations, including the 2024 mpox epidemic.

Residents of Ituri’s capital, Bunia, spoke of increasing fear and almost daily funerals.

One local told reporters: “People are dying every day… and it’s been going on for about a week. We’re burying two, three, even more people a day.”

Health authorities are now racing to increase screening and contact tracing, but significant logistical and security challenges remain across the vast conflict-affected region.