The World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak spreading across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and into neighboring Uganda a public health emergency of international concern after the virus killed nearly 90 people, according to Al Jazeera.
The outbreak originated in Ituri province in northeastern DRC and involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a rare variant with no approved vaccine or treatment. As of Saturday, Africa's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention had reported 88 deaths and 336 suspected cases. The outbreak began in Mongwalu, a busy mining area, after which infected people traveled to other locations seeking treatment, spreading the disease further.
The outbreak's first known patient was a nurse who arrived at a health facility in Ituri's capital, Bunia, on April 24, showing Ebola-like symptoms, according to DRC Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba. Uganda has since recorded two laboratory-confirmed cases linked to travelers arriving from the DRC, including one death in the capital, Kampala.
Health authorities said the outbreak poses a high regional risk. Cases have spread across several health zones in DRC and reached the country's capital, Kinshasa. Africa CDC warned that population movements, weak healthcare infrastructure, and violence by armed groups in Ituri could all complicate efforts to contain the spread.
"The number of cases and deaths we are seeing in such a short timeframe, combined with the spread across several health zones and now across the border, is extremely concerning," said Trish Newport with Doctors Without Borders. "In Ituri, many people already struggle to access healthcare and live with ongoing insecurity, making rapid action critical to prevent the outbreak from escalating further," she added.
The WHO stopped short of declaring a pandemic, saying the outbreak did not meet the necessary criteria for that designation. The agency advised countries against closing borders or restricting trade. Ebola is a severe and often fatal viral disease first identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the DRC. It spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids and is believed to originate in wild animals, particularly bats, before passing to humans.
