The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern as cases and deaths continue to rise across the region.
WHO Director-General announced the declaration on Sunday, warning that the outbreak could become significantly larger than what is currently being detected and reported. However, the agency stressed that the situation does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency similar to COVID-19 and advised countries against closing borders or restricting travel and trade. The outbreak is being caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare strain of Ebola for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments. It is only the third recorded outbreak involving this strain since it was first identified in Uganda’s Bundibugyo district during a 2007 outbreak.
Health officials say the outbreak began in the eastern Congolese province of Ituri, near the borders of Uganda and South Sudan. The region has since recorded hundreds of suspected cases and dozens of deaths, with authorities warning that insecurity, high population movement and limited healthcare access could accelerate the spread of the virus.
The World Health Organization reported at least eight laboratory-confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with hundreds of suspected infections and around 80 suspected deaths. Cases have also been identified in major urban areas, including Bunia and Goma, while neighbouring Uganda has confirmed two infections in Kampala, including one death. Both Ugandan patients had recently travelled from Congo.
Ebola is a severe and often deadly viral disease spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood, vomit and saliva, or through contaminated materials. Early symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, sore throat and muscle pain before progressing to vomiting, diarrhea, internal bleeding and organ failure in severe cases.
Health experts say the Bundibugyo strain has historically had a fatality rate between 25 and 40 percent. Although Ebola is highly infectious, it is not considered highly contagious because it is not airborne. The WHO has urged Congo and Uganda to strengthen surveillance, contact tracing, isolation procedures and infection prevention measures. International agencies, including the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Doctors Without Borders, are also mobilising support teams to assist with containment efforts.
WHO officials say countries outside the affected region should remain vigilant but avoid panic, emphasizing that science-based measures and rapid response systems remain the best defence against wider international spread.
