The World Health Organization (WHO) stated on May 20 that the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda is a serious concern, but the current situation does not meet the criteria for declaring a pandemic emergency.

According to the organization, the risk of disease spread at the national and regional levels is assessed as high, while the global risk remains low.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that in the DRC and other countries, along with confirmed cases, nearly 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths have been recorded. Among the deceased are healthcare workers.

WHO acknowledges that the actual number of cases may be higher, as the outbreak may have been spreading before detection.

The outbreak is caused by a rare strain of the Ebola virus, Bundibugyo, for which no approved vaccines or specific treatments currently exist.

This is the 17th Ebola epidemic in the DRC. The most affected areas continue to face a humanitarian crisis and active population movement, complicating efforts to contain the spread of the infection.

Source: kun.uz