The latest outbreak, traced to the Ituri province in eastern DRC, has recorded about 246 suspected cases and involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment.
Health officials warned that the outbreak presents a serious regional threat after infections were confirmed in Uganda and linked cases were detected in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital.
Despite declaring the outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern,” the WHO said the situation does not yet qualify as a pandemic. The UN health agency also advised countries against imposing border closures or trade restrictions.
According to the WHO, eight laboratory-confirmed cases have been identified so far, alongside several suspected infections and deaths across three health zones, including Bunia, Mongwalu, and Rwampara in Ituri province.
Authorities also confirmed one case in Kinshasa involving a patient who recently travelled from Ituri, while Uganda reported two confirmed infections, including a 59-year-old man who died on Thursday after testing positive for the virus.
Early symptoms of Ebola include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache, and sore throat, which can later progress to vomiting, diarrhoea, skin rash, and bleeding.
