WHO declares global health emergency over Ebola outbreak

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press
GENEVA, Switzerland — The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, warning that the rare Bundibugyo strain could spread further across the region.

The decision, announced by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Sunday, means the outbreak is considered serious enough to require coordinated international action. WHO said the outbreak does not currently meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency and advised countries not to close borders or impose broad travel restrictions.

WHO raises the international alert level

WHO said the Ebola disease outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in DR Congo and Uganda now constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, known as a PHEIC. The classification is used when an event poses a risk to other countries and may require an international response.

The agency stressed that the declaration is not the same as calling the outbreak a global pandemic. It also recommended that international borders remain open, warning that closures could push people toward informal and unmonitored crossings, making surveillance and contact tracing harder.

According to Reuters, WHO urged affected countries to identify infected people and their contacts, limit risky travel by exposed individuals and strengthen emergency measures in neighboring countries.

Outbreak centered in DR Congo’s Ituri province

The outbreak was first reported in eastern DR Congo’s Ituri province, near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan. WHO said the affected area includes health zones such as Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu.

WHO’s 17 May statement said that, as of 16 May, eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths had been reported in Ituri. Other reports, citing Africa CDC figures, put the wider number of suspected and confirmed cases at more than 300, with 87 deaths.

The difference in figures reflects the fast-moving nature of the outbreak and the use of different reporting categories, including suspected, probable and laboratory-confirmed cases.

Uganda reports imported cases

Uganda has also reported cases linked to travel from DR Congo. Africa CDC said Uganda’s Ministry of Health confirmed a case involving a 59-year-old Congolese man who was admitted to Kibuli Muslim Hospital on 11 May and died on 14 May.

WHO also reported two cases in Uganda’s capital, Kampala. According to Reuters, the two cases had no obvious link to each other, but both patients had traveled from DR Congo.

The cross-border cases have increased concern that the virus may spread beyond the currently known outbreak areas. WHO said there is still significant uncertainty about the geographic spread of the disease and the number of people infected.

Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine

Health authorities confirmed that the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a less common Ebola virus species. Unlike the more widely known Ebola-Zaire strain, the Bundibugyo strain does not currently have approved strain-specific vaccines or treatments.

Bundibugyo was first identified during a 2007-2008 outbreak in Uganda’s Bundibugyo district. That outbreak infected 149 people and killed 37. A second major outbreak was reported in 2012 in Isiro, DR Congo, where 57 cases and 29 deaths were recorded.

The current outbreak is therefore especially difficult for health authorities because response teams cannot rely on the same vaccine tools used in some previous Ebola-Zaire outbreaks.

What is Ebola and how does it spread?

Ebola is a severe viral disease that can be fatal in humans. It spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of infected people, including vomit, stool, semen and other secretions. The disease can also spread through contaminated materials and during unsafe burial practices.

Symptoms can include fever, severe weakness, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea and, in some cases, bleeding. Because early symptoms can resemble other diseases, rapid testing, isolation and contact tracing are critical in containing outbreaks.

The Bundibugyo strain is generally considered less lethal than the Ebola-Zaire strain, which has caused outbreaks with very high fatality rates. However, health officials warn that even a less lethal Ebola strain can cause major loss of life if it spreads undetected or reaches areas with weak health systems.

Why WHO advised against closing borders

WHO said DR Congo and Uganda should prevent infected people and close contacts from traveling, but other countries should avoid broad border closures or sweeping travel bans. The agency warned that such measures can backfire by encouraging people to use unofficial routes.

Keeping official borders open allows authorities to screen travelers, identify symptoms, share information and trace contacts more effectively. Border closures, by contrast, can make outbreaks harder to monitor and may delay medical care for people who need treatment.

The warning is particularly important in eastern DR Congo, where conflict, displacement and cross-border movement already complicate health surveillance.

International support now becomes critical

WHO’s emergency declaration is intended to mobilize governments, donors and health agencies more quickly. The agency has said it is scaling up support for DR Congo, including technical assistance, medical supplies and coordination with national authorities.

Africa CDC has also called for urgent regional coordination, including laboratory alignment, contact management and cross-border risk assessment in affected and at-risk areas.

Previous global health emergency declarations have not always produced the rapid delivery of tests, medicines or vaccines that experts hoped for. During the 2024 mpox emergency, health specialists criticized delays in access to diagnostic tools and medical supplies.

For now, health officials say the priority is to identify cases quickly, isolate infected patients, protect health workers and trace contacts before the outbreak spreads further. The coming days will be crucial for determining whether the international alert can translate into a faster and more effective response.

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