Why Is The New Ebola Outbreak Raising Global Alarm?
News Desk
Islamabad: The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern after the virus claimed at least 80 lives and raised fears of further regional spread.
According to Reuters, the outbreak has been linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. However, the WHO clarified that the situation does not currently meet the criteria of a global pandemic.
The UN health agency warned that countries bordering Congo face a high risk of transmission as cases continue to rise.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the WHO said that as of Saturday, Congo’s Ituri province had recorded 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed infections and 246 suspected cases. The outbreak has affected at least three health zones, Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbulo.
A confirmed Ebola case has also been reported in the eastern Congolese city of Goma, according to a statement released by the M23 rebel group.
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Meanwhile, US media reports claimed that at least six American citizens in Congo have contracted the virus, with three categorized as high-risk cases.
According to CBS News, citing international aid organization sources, one American citizen may be showing symptoms of Ebola, though Reuters said it could not independently verify the reports.
Reports further stated that the US government is working to evacuate infected individuals from Congo and may transfer them to a military base in Germany for treatment and monitoring.
At a briefing on Sunday, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Ebola Response Incident Manager Satish Pillai declined to confirm whether any Americans were among the infected, but stressed that the immediate risk to the United States remains low.
CDC officials said the agency has activated its emergency response center and is preparing to deploy additional staff to its offices in Congo and Uganda.
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The US Embassy in Congo also issued a health alert, urging American citizens not to travel to Ituri province under any circumstances. The advisory noted that the US government’s ability to provide emergency assistance in the region is extremely limited.
The WHO warned that the current outbreak, Congo’s 17th Ebola outbreak since the virus was first discovered there in 1976, may be far larger than official figures suggest. The agency said the high positivity rate among tested samples and the growing number of suspected infections indicate wider transmission.
Health officials also highlighted a major concern: there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment available for the Bundibugyo strain. Most previous Ebola outbreaks in Congo were caused by the Zaire strain, for which vaccines and treatments exist.
The WHO said some cases of international transmission have already been documented and urged countries to activate emergency response systems, strengthen border surveillance and begin screening travelers on major transport routes to contain the spread of the virus.
