The World Health Organization has announced a global health emergency following the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. Approximately 80 individuals have succumbed to the virus in Congo, prompting urgent action.
On Sunday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported over 330 suspected cases in Congo, resulting in nearly 90 deaths. The outbreak initially surfaced in the country’s northeastern Ituri Province. Laboratory tests have verified only 10 cases of the virus, while Uganda has confirmed two cases.
The WHO labeled the situation a ‘public health emergency of international concern’ on Saturday. The CDC indicated plans to evacuate a small number of Americans affected by the outbreak.
The current outbreak is attributed to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which is rare and lacks specific field tests, vaccine, or treatment options; this adds to the difficulty in managing the outbreak.
What is Ebola?
Ebola is a disease caused by orthoebolaviruses, a group first identified in 1976 in regions that are part of present-day South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire, near the Ebola River. The Zaire Ebola virus is the most common species among these viruses.