WHO Declares ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern’ Due to Ebola Outbreak
Image source, Reuters
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in eastern Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) a “public health emergency of international concern” due to its global risk.
So far, 246 suspected cases have been reported and 80 people have died, but WHO states the outbreak has not yet reached pandemic levels.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “There is significant uncertainty about the actual number of infected individuals and the extent of the area affected by the outbreak.”
The current Ebola strain is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved medicines or vaccines, according to the WHO.
Eight confirmed cases have been verified by laboratory testing, and suspected cases and deaths have been reported in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, as well as in Mongwalu of Sunkhani and Rwampara towns.
Confirmed Cases in Neighboring Countries
Image source, Reuters
The WHO has confirmed that the virus has spread beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo and that two cases have been confirmed in neighboring Uganda.
Ugandan officials have confirmed Ebola infection in a 59-year-old man who died on Thursday.
Due to movement of people and trade, there is a high risk of infection spreading to other neighboring countries of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
WHO has recommended setting up emergency centers to monitor, identify, and control infections in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
Healthcare authorities in border areas with confirmed infections must intensify surveillance and reporting, WHO emphasizes.
WHO also stressed that unrelated countries outside the affected areas should not close borders or impose travel and trade restrictions, as such measures are based on fear without any scientific basis.
What is Ebola?
Image source, Reuters
According to WHO, Ebola virus originates from wild animals and then spreads from human to human.
Initial symptoms include fever, weakness, muscle pain, and sore throat.
Following early symptoms, patients may experience vomiting, diarrhea, and in some cases, internal and external bleeding.
Symptoms typically appear between two and twenty-one days after infection.
How is Ebola transmitted?
Ebola spreads through direct contact with blood or bodily fluids (such as blood, feces, or vomit) of infected or deceased individuals.
Contaminated objects touched by the patient’s bodily fluids can also transmit the infection.
Healthcare workers treating confirmed or suspected patients are frequently infected.
Traditional funeral practices involving touching, washing, and kissing the deceased also contribute to the virus spreading in communities.
Bodies of those who have died from Ebola are highly infectious.
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