WHO declares Ebola outbreak in DR Congo a global health emergency
The World Health Organization has designated an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo as an international emergency following reports of dozens of deaths and a confirmed case in Goma
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared an international health emergency on Sunday in response to an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The specific strain of the virus currently circulating has no available vaccine. This declaration follows a rise in fatalities, with more than 80 deaths linked to the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever.[1][2][3]
Concerns regarding the further spread of the virus intensified after a laboratory confirmed a case in Goma on Sunday. Goma is a major city in eastern DRC currently under the control of the Rwanda-backed M23 militia. The presence of the virus in a significant urban center and a conflict zone has heightened fears of a wider regional impact.[1][3]
According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), there have been 88 deaths and 336 suspected cases reported so far. Other reports indicate approximately 246 cases and 80 deaths. Despite the emergency status, the WHO clarified that the current outbreak does not yet meet the specific criteria to be classified as a pandemic emergency.[1][3]
