Geneva, Switzerland – The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced nearly 600 suspected cases of Ebola, along with 139 deaths, linked to the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. This comes amid fears that the numbers could rise further.
High risk locally and regionally
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, confirmed that the organization’s Emergency Committee has declared the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). However, it does not yet meet the threshold for a “global pandemic emergency.”
Ghebreyesus explained that the WHO assesses the risk level as “high” at the local and regional levels, while it remains “low” globally. He also noted that the rapid spread of the infection in areas affected by armed conflict and weak health infrastructure is a major concern.
The WHO added that the outbreak may have begun weeks before it was officially detected. This increases the likelihood of undetected cases in multiple regions.
Challenges, assistance, and warnings
The WHO’s Executive Director of Health Emergencies, Chikwe Ekezo, said the current priority is identifying chains of transmission and accurately tracing contacts. This aims to assess the true extent of the outbreak and provide necessary medical care to those infected.
The WHO confirmed that surveillance and testing capacity in the affected areas remains very limited. This is primarily because the available tests were designed to detect the more common Zaire strain, not the Bundibugyo strain.
The organization announced the dispatch of tens of tons of medical supplies and protective equipment to the affected areas. This comes as part of its support for the rapid response to the virus.
The Ebola virus is known to be transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or animals. The average case fatality rate associated with the Bundibugyo strain is approximately 40%, according to WHO data.
