The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo a public health emergency of international concern.

The agency stressed that the outbreak in the eastern province of Ituri, where around 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths have been recorded, does not yet meet the criteria to be considered a pandemic.

But he warned it could become “a much larger outbreak” with a high risk of local and regional spread.

The health agency indicated that the current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved medications or vaccines.

Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, rashes and bleeding.

The WHO reported that there are eight laboratory-confirmed cases, in addition to other suspected cases and deaths in three health zones, including Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, and the gold mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara.

A case of the virus has been confirmed in the country's capital, Kinshasa, in a patient who would have traveled from Ituri.

The international body also noted that the virus has already spread outside the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with two cases confirmed in neighboring Uganda. Ugandan authorities reported that a 59-year-old man who died on Thursday tested positive.

In a statement, the Ugandan government reported that the deceased patient was a Congolese citizen whose body has already been repatriated to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The WHO noted that the security situation and humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, combined with the high mobility of the population, the urban location of the outbreak focus and the large number of informal health centers in the region, increase the risk of spread.

Countries bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo are considered high risk due to trade and travel.

The WHO advised that the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda establish emergency operations centers to monitor, trace and implement infection prevention measures.

Recommendations

To minimize the spread, the health agency said confirmed cases should be isolated and treated immediately until two Bundibugyo virus-specific tests, taken at least 48 hours apart, come back negative.

For countries bordering regions with confirmed cases, it is recommended that governments strengthen surveillance and health reporting systems.

The WHO added that countries outside the affected region should not close their borders or restrict travel and trade, as “such measures are often adopted out of fear and have no scientific basis.”

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that there are currently “significant uncertainties about the actual number of infected people and the geographical spread” of the outbreak.

High mortality rate

Ebola was first found in 1976 in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and is believed to have spread from bats.

This is the 17th outbreak of this disease in the country.

It is transmitted through direct contact with body fluids and through broken skin. It causes serious bleeding and organ failure.

There is no proven cure for Ebola, and the average mortality rate is around 50%, according to the WHO.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had previously warned of the high risk of further spread due to the urban environments of Rwampara and Bunia, as well as mining activities in Mongwalu.

The health agency's executive director, Dr. Jean Kaseya, added that the “significant movement of population” between the affected areas and neighboring countries also made regional coordination essential.

Around 15,000 people have died from the virus in African countries in the last 50 years.

The deadliest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo occurred between 2018 and 2020, a period in which nearly 2,300 people died.

Last year, 45 people died after an Ebola outbreak in a remote region of that country.