The World Health Organization has officially declared the “Ebola” outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the “Congo” a public health emergency of international concern after a sharp rise in suspected infections and deaths.
Health officials said the outbreak has mainly spread through the eastern Ituri province, where authorities have reported around 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths.
Although the WHO has not labeled the outbreak as a global pandemic emergency, officials warned that the situation could become much worse if the virus continues to spread rapidly. According to the BBC reports, the actual number of infections may already be higher than reported due to limited healthcare access and ongoing security challenges in affected areas.
Ebola cases spread “Ituri” province:
The WHO confirmed eight laboratory-tested Ebola cases across three health zones, including ‘Bunia”, “Mongwalu” and “Rwampara”. Officials also detected one confirmed case in Kinshasa involving a patient who had recently traveled from “Ituri province”.
Meanwhile, neighboring Uganda has also reported two confirmed Ebola cases linked to the outbreak. Ugandan health officials confirmed that a 59-year-old Congolese citizen who died recently tested positive for the virus. In addition, international reports confirmed another Ebola case in the eastern city of Goma, raising further concerns about regional transmission.
Ebola strain has no approved vaccine:
Health experts explained that the current outbreak involves the “Bundibugyo” strain of Ebola. Unlike some previous Ebola outbreaks, no approved vaccine or specialized treatment currently exists for this strain.
Doctors said early symptoms often include fever, headache, fatigue, and sore throat and muscle pain. As the disease progresses, patients may experience vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes and severe internal or external bleeding. The WHO warned that delayed diagnosis and limited medical resources could make controlling the outbreak more difficult.
Population movement increase risks:
The health agency stressed that ongoing violence and humanitarian problems in eastern DR Congo continue to complicate emergency response efforts. High population movement between cities and neighboring countries also increases the risk of wider transmission.
Furthermore, mining activities in Mongwalu and crowded urban conditions in Bunia and Goma have created additional public health concerns.The WHO said countries surrounding DR Congo face greater risk because of active trade routes and cross-border travel.
WHO calls for immediate emergency measures:
The WHO has urged “DR Congo” and Uganda to strengthen emergency operations, improve disease surveillance and increase infection control measures.Officials also advised health workers to quickly isolate confirmed cases and continue testing patients until results turn negative.
However, the agency advised countries not to close borders or restrict travel and trade.WHO officials said such restrictions usually create fear and do not effectively stop the virus.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that many uncertainties still remain regarding the true number of infections and the overall spread of the outbreak.
Ebola’s history:
Ebola first appeared in DR Congo in 1976 and experts believe the virus originally spread from bats. Since then, the country has faced 17 Ebola outbreaks.
Over the past 50 years, Ebola has killed around 15,000 people across Africa. DR Congo’s deadliest outbreak took place between 2018 and 2020, when nearly 2,300 people lost their lives.
Last year alone, another outbreak in a remote region killed 45 people.Health authorities continue to monitor the outbreak closely as fears grow over further regional spread.
Experts believe fast action, stronger healthcare systems and international cooperation remain essential to contain the deadly virus and prevent a larger crisis across “Central Africa”.
