The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a global health warning due to an outbreak in Africa. Here is an overview of the lethal illness:
Ebola cases have been detected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring Uganda, leading WHO officials to classify the situation as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The surge in cases related to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus has raised fears of cross-border transmission, population displacement, and ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, heightening the risk of further spread.
Health authorities in Congo’s Ituri province have reported 246 suspected cases and over 80 deaths. Additionally, Ugandan authorities have confirmed a fatal case imported from a Congolese patient who sought treatment in Kampala before succumbing to the disease.
The WHO leadership has determined that the outbreak warrants a coordinated global response. The Africa CDC has cautioned about “active community transmission” and health workers are intensifying screening and contact tracing efforts to contain the disease.
A resident of Bunia, Jean Marc Asimwe, shared with The Guardian: “Every day, people are dying…and this has been ongoing for about a week. In a single day, we bury two, three, or even more individuals. At this point, we don’t know what type of disease it is.”
This current Ebola outbreak marks Congo’s 17th recorded incident since the virus was first identified in 1976. The previous outbreak concluded in December of last year.
The WHO, Africa CDC, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are collaborating on support initiatives, including surveillance, laboratory testing, contact tracing, and emergency response deployments. Both Congo and Uganda are currently grappling with active Ebola outbreaks.
Symptoms of Ebola can manifest between two and 21 days post-infection, according to the NHS. They can arise suddenly and include flu-like symptoms, high temperature, extreme fatigue, and headache.
Scottish nurse and aid worker Pauline Cafferkey contracted Ebola in 2014 while serving in Sierra Leone and successfully recovered. Other symptoms of Ebola include sudden fever, muscle pain, sore throat, and vomiting.