WHO Raises international alarm over deadly Ebola outbreak

International

THE rapid spread of a rare Ebola strain in DR Congo has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to issue an international emergency declaration, as officials warn the outbreak could grow significantly in the coming weeks.

The outbreak is concentrated in eastern Ituri province, where authorities have reported about 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths. While WHO officials said the situation does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency, they warned that the outbreak may be significantly larger than current confirmed figures suggest.

The virus has been identified as the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a rare form for which there are no approved vaccines or specific treatments.

So far, eight cases have been confirmed through laboratory testing, with additional suspected infections reported across three health zones. These include Bunia, the provincial capital, as well as the mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara, where population movement is high.

A separate confirmed infection has been detected in Kinshasa after a patient reportedly travelled from Ituri, raising concerns about wider domestic spread.

The outbreak has also crossed borders. Uganda has confirmed two Ebola cases linked to the situation, including a 59-year-old Congolese man who died after testing positive. Ugandan authorities said his body had already been returned to DR Congo.

AFP reported that laboratory testing has also confirmed a case in Goma, a major eastern city currently under the control of M23 rebels.

The WHO warned that insecurity, humanitarian pressures, and frequent population movement are increasing the risk of further transmission. It also cited urban hotspots and informal healthcare facilities as key challenges to containment.

Neighbouring countries have been placed on alert due to ongoing cross-border movement linked to trade and travel. Rwanda has tightened screening at its border with DR Congo, saying surveillance systems have been strengthened and response teams are ready for rapid detection and action.

The WHO urged immediate isolation of confirmed cases and treatment until two Bundibugyo-specific tests, taken at least 48 hours apart, return negative.

It also advised enhanced surveillance in neighbouring states but warned against travel or trade restrictions, stating that “such measures are usually implemented out of fear and have no basis in science”.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a CNN report that there are still “significant uncertainties to the true number of infected persons and geographic spread” of the outbreak.

Ebola is a severe viral disease transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, and in some cases bleeding and organ failure.

The Bundibugyo strain has previously shown a fatality rate of around 30%, while Ebola overall has averaged about 50% in past outbreaks.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that dense urban settings and mining activity in affected areas increase the risk of spread. Executive director Jean Kaseya said significant population movement across borders makes regional coordination essential.

Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in what is now DR Congo, which is now facing its 17th recorded outbreak. Over the past five decades, the virus has killed around 15,000 people in Africa.(MyTVCebu)