WHO Declares DRC and Uganda Ebola Outbreak a Global Health Emergency After Nearly 90 Deaths
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighbouring Uganda a “public health emergency of international concern” following nearly 90 reported deaths linked to the virus.
WHO declares DRC-Uganda Ebola outbreak an international emergency after nearly 90 deaths linked to the Bundibugyo strain.
Victoire Mukenge/Reuters
The outbreak began in Ituri province in eastern DRC and involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment. Health officials warned that the outbreak presents a major regional threat after infections were detected in Uganda and linked cases reached Kinshasa, the Congolese capital.
Despite the growing concern, the WHO did not classify the situation as a pandemic, stating that the outbreak does not yet meet the required criteria. The agency also advised countries not to close borders or impose trade restrictions.
Outbreak Origin and Spread
Africa’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said the outbreak was first reported on Friday in Ituri province near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan. By Saturday, authorities had recorded 88 deaths and 336 suspected cases.
The outbreak reportedly started in Mongwalu, a mining hub where infected individuals later travelled to other locations for treatment, contributing to the spread of the disease. Africa CDC warned that ongoing violence, population movements and weak healthcare systems in Ituri could make containment efforts more difficult.
DRC Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said the first known patient was a nurse who arrived at a health facility in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, on April 24 with Ebola-like symptoms.
Uganda has also confirmed two laboratory-confirmed cases connected to travellers arriving from the DRC, including one fatality in Kampala.
“The number of cases and deaths we are seeing in such a short timeframe, combined with the spread across several health zones and now across the border, is extremely concerning,” warned Trish Newport with the medical aid organisation Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French acronym MSF.
“In Ituri, many people already struggle to access healthcare and live with ongoing insecurity, making rapid action critical to prevent the outbreak from escalating further,” she added.
Understanding Ebola and the Bundibugyo Strain
Ebola is a severe viral disease that was first identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the DRC. Scientists believe the virus originates in wild animals, especially bats, before spreading to humans.
Transmission occurs through direct contact with bodily fluids such as blood, vomit, semen and contaminated materials including clothing or bedding. People become contagious once symptoms develop.
Common symptoms include fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, muscle pain and extreme weakness. Severe cases can involve both internal and external bleeding. The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days.
The current outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo strain, first discovered in Uganda in 2007.
It has a “very high lethality rate, which can reach 50 percent”, Kamba said on Saturday. “The Bundibugyo strain has no vaccine, no specific treatment,” he added.
WHO Emergency Declaration and Response Measures
The WHO’s emergency declaration marks the organisation’s second-highest alert level under international health regulations.
Although the agency stopped short of declaring a pandemic emergency, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that neighbouring countries remain at high risk because of “population mobility, trade and travel linkages, and ongoing epidemiological uncertainty”.
The WHO urged nearby countries to activate emergency systems, strengthen border screening and quickly isolate confirmed infections. Authorities also recommended daily monitoring of contacts and advised exposed individuals to avoid international travel for 21 days.
At the same time, the organisation warned against border closures, saying they could push people toward informal crossings that may undermine containment efforts.
“There are significant uncertainties to the true number of infected persons and geographic spread associated with this event at the present time,” the WHO said.
“In addition, there is limited understanding of the epidemiological links with known or suspected cases.”
Previous Ebola Outbreaks in the DRC
The DRC has faced at least 17 Ebola outbreaks since the virus was first discovered there in 1976, making it one of the countries hardest hit by the disease.
The deadliest outbreak occurred between 2018 and 2020, killing nearly 2,300 people, with some infections also reported in Uganda. Another outbreak last year resulted in at least 34 deaths before officials declared it over in December.
Since its discovery, Ebola has killed about 15,000 people, the vast majority in Africa.
Conflict and Security Challenges in Eastern DRC
Health officials warned that insecurity and armed conflict in eastern DRC could significantly complicate efforts to contain the virus.
“The ongoing insecurity, humanitarian crisis, high population mobility, the urban or semiurban nature of the current hotspot and the large network of informal healthcare facilities further compound the risk of spread, as was witnessed during the large Ebola virus disease epidemic in North Kivu and Ituri provinces in 2018-19,” the WHO warned.
Security officials said rebel attacks in the northeastern region killed at least 69 people earlier this month.
The mineral-rich eastern DRC continues to face violence from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group formed by former Ugandan fighters that pledged allegiance to ISIL (ISIS), as well as the Rwanda-backed March 23 Movement, commonly known as M23.
For more than 30 years, the eastern region of the DRC has remained affected by conflict as armed groups compete for control of mining territories.
