The World Health Organisation has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a global public health emergency, as health authorities race to contain the spread of the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus. Officials say the outbreak has already caused more than 80 suspected deaths and hundreds of suspected infections across Central Africa.
According to the WHO, the outbreak is centred in the eastern Congolese province, where health systems are struggling to respond amid insecurity, logistical difficulties, and ongoing armed violence. Uganda has also reported imported cases linked to travellers arriving from Congo, while a separate case was identified in Kinshasa, raising fears of wider geographical spread.
Health officials are particularly concerned because the outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments. The WHO warned that neighbouring countries face a high risk of transmission, although the organisation stopped short of declaring a pandemic. Authorities are expanding screening, contact tracing and isolation measures in an effort to contain the virus before it reaches more densely populated urban centres.
The declaration comes as memories of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to shape global public health responses, with governments closely monitoring the risk of international transmission. Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO’s Director General, said the organisation would be calling an emergency meeting as soon as possible to work out what to do.
The latest Ebola warning also follows renewed international concern over hantavirus cases linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak. While French authorities recently confirmed that all identified contact cases had tested negative so far, health officials across Europe remain on alert as investigations continue into the rare virus cluster and its possible transmission patterns.
