The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a 'public health emergency of international concern.' The UN health agency warned that the outbreak could be significantly larger than currently detected and reported, posing health risks to other countries.

As of Saturday, the outbreak in DRC's Ituri province has resulted in 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases, and 246 suspected cases. The flare-up is caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, for which there is no vaccine or specific treatment.

DRC's Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba told AFP: 'The Bundibugyo strain has a very high lethality rate, which can reach 50%. This strain has no vaccine, no specific treatment.'

The WHO also reported two laboratory-confirmed cases in Uganda's capital Kampala, including one death, among individuals traveling from the DRC. The agency noted that countries sharing land borders with the DRC are at high risk for further spread.

Medical aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) described the rapid spread as 'extremely concerning' and is preparing a 'large-scale response' to the crisis.

The WHO called on nations to activate national disaster and emergency management mechanisms and undertake cross-border screening. However, it urged against closing borders or restricting travel and trade, warning that such measures could lead to informal border crossings that are not monitored.

Ebola, believed to originate in bats, causes severe bleeding and organ failure, spreading through bodily fluids or blood contact. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC, with the disease killing around 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years.

Source: www.dw.com