WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak In DR Congo A Global Health Emergency

The outbreak, centred in eastern DR Congo’s Ituri province, has already seen around 246 suspected cases and 80 reported deaths, with officials fearing the real numbers may be even higher.

So far, eight cases have been laboratory-confirmed, with infections detected across Bunia, Mongwalu and Rwamparaz, including one confirmed case in the capital Kinshasa involving a traveller returning from Ituri.

The WHO also confirmed that the virus has crossed borders, with two Ebola cases reported in neighbouring Uganda. One patient, a 59-year-old Congolese man, died after testing positive.

The outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments.

Early symptoms include fever, fatigue, headaches and muscle pain, before progressing into vomiting, diarrhoea, rashes and severe internal bleeding.

Health officials warned that the combination of armed conflict, population movement, overcrowded urban areas and informal healthcare facilities is making containment significantly more difficult.

An additional confirmed case has reportedly been identified in Goma, a major eastern city currently under the control of M23 rebels.

Despite declaring the outbreak an international emergency, the WHO stopped short of classifying it as a pandemic-level crisis. However, Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned there are still “significant uncertainties” around the true scale of infections and how far the virus may already have spread.

Countries bordering DR Congo, including Uganda, South Sudan and Tanzania, have been urged to strengthen surveillance, testing and contact tracing efforts immediately.

The WHO also advised against border closures or travel bans, saying such measures are often driven by fear rather than science.

Ebola was first discovered in what is now DR Congo in 1976 and is believed to have originated in bats. It spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids and has an average fatality rate of around 50%.

This marks DR Congo’s 17th Ebola outbreak, with the country’s deadliest epidemic between 2018 and 2020 killing nearly 2,300 people.