WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak in Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern After 88 Deaths
An Ebola outbreak has struck the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), claiming at least 88 lives. In response to the crisis, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday (May 17).
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa) reported that the total death toll is accompanied by 336 suspected cases of this highly contagious hemorrhagic fever. The WHO stated that the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo variant of the Ebola virus, constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern,” the second-highest level of alert under global health regulations.
This situation raises significant concerns as there are currently no countermeasures for this particular variant. “The Bundibugyo variant has no vaccine, and there is no specific treatment,” said DRC Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba. “This variant has a very high mortality rate, which can reach 50%.”
Currently available vaccines are only effective against the Zaire variant. Health authorities confirmed that this latest outbreak was detected in the Ituri province, a northeastern region of the DRC bordering Uganda and South Sudan. The virus has even been reported to have killed a Congolese citizen in neighboring Uganda.
According to Minister Kamba, the index case in this outbreak was a nurse who reported to a health facility in the capital of Ituri province, Bunia, on April 24 with symptoms similar to Ebola, such as fever, bleeding, and vomiting.
The medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced that it is preparing a large-scale response to contain the rapid spread of this virus. Poor communication infrastructure and logistical challenges in transporting medical equipment in the DRC pose significant obstacles for rescue teams.
“The number of cases and deaths we are seeing in such a short period, combined with the spread across multiple health zones and now across borders, is very worrying,” said Trish Newport, MSF Emergency Program Manager.
The situation on the ground is also reportedly worsening due to limited medical isolation facilities. “We have seen people dying over the past two weeks,” said Isaac Nyakulinda, a local civil society representative. “There are no places to isolate sick people. They die at home, and their bodies are handled by their family members.”
This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC. The WHO warned of a high risk of regional spread as the exact number of infected people and the geographical scope remain unclear. Believed to originate from bats, the Ebola virus spreads between humans through bodily fluids or exposure to the blood of an infected person after they show symptoms.