The World Health Organization on Sunday declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a “public health emergency of international concern,” posing risks to neighboring countries.
The WHO said the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency but that countries sharing land borders with DRC are at high risk for further spread.
The UN health agency said in a statement that 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases and 246 suspected cases had been reported as of Saturday in DRC’s Ituri province across at least three health zones, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu.
The DRC health ministry had said on Friday that 80 people had died in the new outbreak in the eastern province.
The outbreak – the 17th in the country since Ebola was first identified there in 1976 – could be much larger, given the high positivity rate of the initial samples and increasing number of suspected cases being reported, the WHO said.
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