The World Health Organization has declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern following dozens of deaths and confirmed cross-border infections.
The global health agency said the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, does not currently meet the threshold for a pandemic emergency, but warned that countries sharing land borders with the DRC face a high risk of further transmission.
According to the WHO, as of Saturday, at least 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases, and 246 suspected infections had been recorded in Ituri Province in eastern DR Congo, affecting at least three health zones, including Bunia, Rwampar, and Mongbwalu.
A ninth confirmed case was later reported in the eastern city of Goma, while another laboratory-confirmed infection was also detected in Kinshasa involving a traveler returning from Ituri.
The DRC’s Ministry of Health had earlier confirmed that 80 people had died in what is now the country’s 17th recorded Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified there in 1976.
The WHO warned that the outbreak could be significantly larger than current figures suggest, citing a high positivity rate among early samples and a growing number of suspected cases.
The agency described the situation as “extraordinary,” noting that unlike the more common Ebola-Zaire strain, there are currently no approved vaccines or virus-specific treatments for the Bundibugyo strain.
The outbreak has also spread beyond the DRC’s borders. In Uganda’s capital, Kampala, two laboratory-confirmed cases—including one death—were reported involving individuals who had recently traveled from the DRC.
The WHO said the DRC-Uganda outbreak now poses a serious public health risk to neighboring countries, with international transmission already documented.
It urged countries in the region to activate emergency response mechanisms, strengthen cross-border surveillance, and intensify screening at border points and major transport routes.
Health authorities were also advised to immediately isolate confirmed cases, monitor contacts daily, and restrict national movement of exposed individuals, while international travel should remain suspended for contacts until 21 days after exposure.
Despite the escalating situation, the WHO cautioned countries against closing borders or imposing trade restrictions, warning that such measures could force unmonitored informal crossings and complicate containment efforts.
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Director-General Jean Kaseya said technical consultations were underway on whether the outbreak should also be declared a continental public health emergency.
Ebola is a severe and often fatal disease that spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons, contaminated materials, or the bodies of those who have died from the virus. Symptoms typically include fever, body pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.
