The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) a public health emergency of international concern.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned the decision does “not meet the criteria of pandemic emergency” and urged countries not to close their borders in response.
The outbreak was first reported in Ituri province in late April and has since produced hundreds of suspected cases. Health authorities say the outbreak has spread primarily in two mining towns, Mongwalu and Rwampara, where frequent movement of workers increases transmission risk. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported that the current strain is Bundibugyo, for which there is no licensed vaccine.
Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya said during a video press briefing that investigators now count 336 suspected cases and 87 deaths. He described the region as “very vulnerable and fragile,” noting that the pattern of case clusters in mining towns complicates containment.
Transmission of Ebola occurs through direct contact with blood, other bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces. Common symptoms include fever, body pain, weakness and vomiting, and in some cases bleeding, the WHO says.
At least one confirmed cross-border case was recorded in neighboring Uganda. On May 14 a 59-year-old man from the DRC became ill after traveling to Kampala and later died in hospital. Kaseya outlined that the man had taken public transportation, sought care in Uganda and was surrounded by people in his community before his death; his body was repatriated to the DRC for burial. Those circumstances raised concerns about exposures and contact tracing.
In response, experts stress strict protective measures for health workers treating suspected Ebola patients: head coverings, goggles or face shields, masks, gloves, gowns and rubber boots. Kaseya said Africa CDC does not have domestic manufacturing capacity for personal protective equipment (PPE) and is seeking funds and partners to address shortages.
The Bundibugyo strain is less well understood than the more common Zaire strain. There is no known licensed vaccine for Bundibugyo, though researchers are studying an experimental candidate. Kaseya said the candidate has only been tested in a small number of monkeys and showed roughly 50% efficacy in those studies; its effectiveness in humans has not been established.
Africa CDC said it is coordinating with national authorities, WHO, nonprofits and pharmaceutical partners to reinforce cross-border surveillance, preparedness and outbreak response.
Dr. Craig Spencer, a physician and infectious disease expert who recovered from Ebola in 2014, warned on social media that the outbreak already appears large and has likely been spreading for some time before detection. Late recognition, he said, makes contact tracing and control more difficult.
For context, the largest Ebola epidemic on record occurred in West Africa from 2014 to 2016, when about 28,600 people were infected and 11,325 died, according to WHO. Health authorities in the region and internationally are now focused on rapidly finding cases, protecting health workers, scaling up testing and care, and preventing further cross-border spread.