WHO Declares Global Health Emergency as Ebola Outbreak Kills 80 People in Congo, Uganda
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the WHO said the outbreak has not yet reached the threshold for a pandemic emergency under the International Health Regulations.
The agency said the declaration followed consultations with authorities in the DRC and Uganda amid growing concerns over the escalating spread of the virus and the increasing risk of cross-border transmission.
According to the WHO, eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases, and 80 suspected deaths had been recorded in Ituri province in eastern DRC as of Saturday.
The organisation also confirmed two cases in Kampala, including one death, reported between May 15 and 16 among travellers arriving from the DRC.
Another confirmed case was recorded in Kinshasa involving a person who recently returned from Ituri province.
The WHO said unusual clusters of community deaths with symptoms consistent with Bundibugyo virus disease had been reported across several health zones in Ituri, while suspected infections had also spread into North Kivu province.
The agency added that at least four healthcare workers had died in circumstances suggesting viral haemorrhagic fever, heightening concerns over hospital-based transmission and weak infection prevention measures.
According to the WHO, significant uncertainties remain regarding the true scale and geographical spread of the outbreak.
However, the organisation warned that the high positivity rate among initial samples, increasing reports of suspected infections and deaths, and confirmed cases in Kampala and Kinshasa indicate that the outbreak could be “much larger” than currently detected.
The WHO further warned that insecurity, humanitarian challenges, population displacement, urban transmission risks, and reliance on informal healthcare systems could worsen the spread of the disease.
The agency noted that, unlike the Ebola Zaire strain, there are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics specifically designed for the Bundibugyo virus strain.
It added that neighbouring countries sharing borders with the DRC face heightened risks due to regional trade, travel, and population movement.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, is expected to convene an emergency committee to recommend temporary measures and coordinated response strategies aimed at containing the outbreak.
The “public health emergency of international concern” designation represents the highest level of alert under WHO regulations and is reserved for extraordinary events that pose cross-border public health risks requiring coordinated international action.