The World Health Organization, WHO, has declared the recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a global health emergency following rising infections and deaths linked to the virus.
The outbreak was first detected in Ituri Province in northeastern Congo before confirmed cases later emerged in Kinshasa and Kampala, the capital cities of both countries.
According to the WHO, at least 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths have been reported in Ituri Province, although only a limited number of cases have so far been scientifically confirmed as Ebola infections.
Health authorities warned that the true scale of the outbreak could be significantly larger than current figures due to gaps in detection and reporting.
The agency described the situation as a “public health emergency of international concern,” a designation used for major health threats requiring coordinated international action.
Officials explained that the declaration is intended to help countries mobilise resources, improve surveillance, and strengthen cooperation in containing the virus.
The WHO stated that the outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved treatment.
According to reports, two confirmed Ebola cases were identified in Kampala within 24 hours, including one fatality involving a 59-year-old Congolese man who reportedly travelled from Congo before dying days after hospital admission.
The WHO also confirmed a separate case in Kinshasa involving a traveller returning from Ituri Province.
The agency further disclosed that suspected infections have spread across multiple health zones including Rwampara, Mongbwalu, and Bunia.
Public health experts expressed concern over the delayed confirmation of the outbreak, noting that Ebola outbreaks are often identified earlier through health surveillance systems.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the organisation first received reports of possible Ebola infections on May 5 before dispatching emergency teams to investigate.
According to him, initial field tests failed to detect the virus because local equipment was designed mainly for the Zaire strain of Ebola.
Subsequent laboratory testing in Kinshasa later confirmed positive Ebola samples.
The outbreak area has also been described as highly vulnerable due to insecurity, armed conflict, displacement, and extensive cross-border movement involving Uganda and South Sudan.
Health authorities warned that Ebola spreads through close contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals, placing relatives, caregivers, and medical workers at high risk of infection.
The latest outbreak has triggered growing concern globally as health officials work to prevent wider international spread, especially within densely populated urban areas.
