The World Health Organization has issued an international warning following an outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the spread of some cases to Uganda.
She declared the situation a public health emergency of international concern, given the spread of a rare strain of the virus for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment.
As of Saturday, health authorities had recorded 336 suspected cases and 88 deaths, mostly in Congo, in addition to two cases in neighboring Uganda.
A rare strain increases anxiety
Health authorities said the current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare strain of the Ebola virus that has only been detected twice before; the first time in Uganda between 2007 and 2008, and the second time in Congo in 2012.
Although Congo and Uganda have experienced more than 20 Ebola outbreaks since the disease was discovered in 1976, the current strain is different from the "Ebola Zaire" strain that was associated with most previous outbreaks, making it more difficult to contain the disease, especially in the absence of a vaccine or approved treatment.
The outbreak began in the Mongwalu health zone of Ituri province in eastern Congo, a mining area with heavy traffic, before spreading to the Ruambara and Bunia regions as patients moved in search of health care.
Ituri is located in a remote area with poor infrastructure and roads, and is more than 1,000 kilometers from the capital, Kinshasa, which complicates health response operations.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention expressed concern about the proximity of the affected areas to the borders of Uganda and South Sudan, especially given the active population movement across the borders.
He also warned that the violence witnessed in parts of Ituri during the past year, which caused thousands of residents to flee, could make it difficult to contain the outbreak and trace contacts.
The World Health Organization has confirmed that the current outbreak does not rise to the level of a global pandemic like COVID-19, and has not recommended closing international borders.
The declaration of a public health emergency aims to mobilize international funding and support and accelerate response measures, particularly with regard to health surveillance, contact tracing and the provision of medical supplies.
Urgent measures to contain the disease
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention held an emergency meeting with health officials from Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, along with international partners and UN agencies, to discuss coordinating cross-border efforts.
The announced measures included:
Deployment of health teams at border crossings.
Strengthening surveillance systems.
Isolating those most at risk.
Intensify field tracking and response operations.
The World Health Organization also announced the allocation of $500,000 to support efforts to combat the outbreak, while the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that it had mobilized $2 million, stressing that the actual needs are still much greater.
How is the Ebola virus transmitted?
The Ebola virus is transmitted to humans from wild animals, and then spreads between people through contact with bodily fluids, such as blood and vomit, or through contaminated surfaces and objects.
The disease is rare but very serious, and its symptoms include:
Fever.
Vomiting.
diarrhea.
Muscle pain.
Internal or external bleeding in some cases.
The virus was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River i
n what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo.
