The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), following more than 300 suspected cases and 88 deaths.
Global Health Emergency Declared
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the announcement on Sunday, stating that the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency akin to COVID-19. He advised against the closure of international borders.
Officials first reported the spread of the disease in Congo on Friday, documenting 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases. By Saturday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported 336 suspected cases and 87 deaths.
Cases Spread to Uganda
According to the WHO, Congo accounts for all but two of the cases, both of which were reported in neighboring Uganda. Uganda confirmed one case on Saturday, which it said was imported from Congo, and reported that the patient died at a hospital in Kampala, the capital. A second case has also been reported in Kampala. The two cases had no apparent links to each other, but both patients had traveled from Congo.
Understanding Ebola Transmission and Symptoms
The Ebola virus is highly contagious and can be contracted through contact with bodily fluids such as vomit, blood, urine, or semen. The disease it causes is rare but severe and often fatal.
According to the NHS, Ebola symptoms can appear between two and 21 days after infection. They often begin suddenly and include flu-like symptoms such as a high temperature, extreme tiredness, and headache.
Other Symptoms
- Being sick
- Diarrhoea and stomach pain
- A skin rash
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes
- Blood in the faeces
- Lots of bruises all over the body
- Bleeding from the ears, eyes, nose, or mouth
- Muscle pain
- Sore throat
- Blood in vomit or faeces
- Bleeding from nose, gums, or vagina
Ebola patients are treated in isolation in hospital and given specialist care in an intensive care unit.
