WHO Declares International Emergency Amid Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo

(MENAFN) Health authorities have declared an international emergency after an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed more than 80 people, according to reports.

The World Health Organization classified the situation as a “public health emergency of international concern,” citing rapid spread and uncertainty over the full scale of infections. The outbreak has been linked to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which officials say currently has no available vaccine.

Data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention indicates at least 88 deaths and 336 suspected cases, while health officials warn the numbers may continue to rise as surveillance expands.

Medical organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, have described the situation as highly alarming and are preparing a large-scale response due to the speed of transmission.

Congolese health authorities have stressed that the Bundibugyo strain can have a fatality rate of up to 50%, and noted that treatment options remain limited. The strain was first identified in 2007 and has also been reported in a fatal case in neighboring Uganda.

Officials confirmed the outbreak in northeastern Ituri province, near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan, where communities have already reported deaths over recent weeks.

Health experts caution that while vaccines exist for other Ebola strains, such as the Zaire variant, none are currently available for the strain driving this outbreak, increasing concerns about containment and regional spread.

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