WHO Declares Ebola Emergency In Congo, Uganda As Death Toll Hits 139

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved an additional $3.4 million to strengthen emergency response efforts against the worsening Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, as the suspected death toll climbed to 139.

The fresh funding raises WHO’s total emergency allocation for the outbreak to $3.9 million, amid growing fears of wider regional spread across Central and East Africa.

Speaking during a media briefing in Geneva on Wednesday, WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced that the UN health agency has officially classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations.

According to Tedros, the declaration followed consultations with authorities in both countries and was necessary to accelerate global mobilisation, funding, and international coordination to contain the deadly virus.

He explained that WHO decided to act swiftly because any delay could worsen transmission, increase fatalities, and heighten the risk of cross-border infections.

Already, WHO estimates show that nearly 600 suspected Ebola cases have been identified, while the suspected death toll has risen to 139.

Official data from the health agency confirmed that the DRC has recorded 51 laboratory-confirmed Ebola infections, mainly in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, including the cities of Bunia and Goma.

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In neighbouring Uganda, authorities confirmed two infections in Kampala, one of which resulted in death after cross-border transmission linked to the DRC outbreak.

WHO also disclosed that a United States citizen infected while working in the DRC had been evacuated to Germany for specialised treatment.

Health officials warned that the actual scale of the outbreak could be significantly higher because the virus may have circulated undetected for several weeks before confirmation.

The outbreak is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, first identified in Uganda in 2007. Unlike the more common Zaire strain, there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments for the Bundibugyo variant, complicating containment efforts.

Tedros noted that the outbreak has now spread into multiple urban centres, increasing fears of sustained community transmission.

He added that infections among healthcare workers indicate ongoing spread within medical facilities, with several frontline workers reportedly among the fatalities already recorded.

The WHO chief further expressed concern over worsening insecurity and displacement in eastern DRC, particularly in Ituri Province, where renewed violence since late 2025 has displaced more than 100,000 people.

According to him, the movement of displaced persons, cross-border trade, and mining activities are increasing the likelihood of regional transmission.

Concerns deepened after Congolese authorities confirmed a new Ebola case in South Kivu Province, far from the original epicentre of the outbreak, suggesting the virus may already be spreading across wider geographical areas.

International health agencies and humanitarian organisations have also raised alarm over weakened outbreak preparedness caused by years of funding shortages and cuts to foreign aid programmes.

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) said scientists are accelerating efforts to develop a vaccine candidate for the Bundibugyo strain, although experts caution that producing an effective vaccine during an active outbreak remains difficult.

Tedros commended the governments of the DRC and Uganda for cooperating with response efforts, including Uganda’s decision to suspend the annual Martyrs’ Day celebrations, which usually attract millions of pilgrims.

WHO said emergency teams, laboratory equipment, medical supplies, and technical experts have already been deployed to affected areas to support surveillance, treatment, contact tracing, and safe burial operations.

While the organisation currently assesses the global risk level as low, it warned that the regional threat remains high and urged neighbouring countries to intensify border surveillance and preparedness measures.

WHO Declares Ebola Emergency In Congo, Uganda As Death Toll Hits 139

WHO Declares Ebola Emergency as Nigeria Activates Nationwide Monitoring

The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), has intensified nationwide surveillance and emergency preparedness measures following the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighbouring Uganda.

The development comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the outbreak a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” (PHEIC), raising fears of wider regional spread across Africa.

According to the WHO, the outbreak has already resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of suspected infections, particularly in eastern DRC’s Ituri Province, where health authorities are battling the rare and dangerous Bundibugyo strain of the virus.

The strain is considered especially concerning because there is currently no approved vaccine or targeted treatment for it.

Although Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) case, the NCDC said it is proactively strengthening monitoring systems at airports, land borders, seaports, and health facilities across the country.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, said the agency was working closely with the Port Health Services and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to prevent any possible importation of the virus into Nigeria.

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“NCDC is closely monitoring the situation and working with relevant stakeholders, including the Port Health Services, to ensure continued vigilance and preparedness within the public health system,” Idris stated.

The agency disclosed that it has increased laboratory readiness, intensified disease surveillance, improved infection prevention measures, and expanded public awareness campaigns nationwide.

Health workers across Nigeria have also been placed on alert and advised to maintain a high level of suspicion for patients showing symptoms linked to Ebola virus infection, especially those with recent travel history to affected countries.

The WHO confirmed that the outbreak, which started in the DRC, has now spread beyond the country’s borders, with Uganda recording imported laboratory-confirmed cases.

Ugandan authorities revealed that a 59-year-old man who recently travelled from Congo tested positive for the virus before later dying from complications linked to the disease.

The UN health agency said the outbreak currently affects several areas, including Bunia, Mongbwalu, and Rwampara in the DRC, while one confirmed case has also been detected in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital.

Health officials fear the disease could spread further because the affected regions are major commercial and migration corridors connecting neighbouring countries.

The WHO warned that insecurity, population displacement, illegal mining activities, and weak healthcare systems in eastern Congo may complicate containment efforts.

Medical experts say the Bundibugyo strain differs from the more common Zaire strain responsible for previous major Ebola outbreaks in West Africa.

Unlike the Zaire strain, which now has approved vaccines and treatment options, scientists are still researching effective vaccines and therapies for the Bundibugyo variant.

The WHO said early symptoms of Ebola Virus Disease include fever, severe weakness, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat.

As the illness progresses, patients may experience vomiting, diarrhoea, skin rash, internal bleeding, and organ failure.

The virus spreads through direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids, contaminated materials, or infected animals.

Nigeria’s renewed preparedness is partly influenced by its experience during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when the country successfully prevented a major public health disaster after an infected Liberian-American traveller, Patrick Sawyer, arrived in Lagos.

Through aggressive contact tracing, rapid isolation, emergency response coordination, and public sensitisation, Nigeria was able to contain the virus within months.

The successful response earned global praise from the WHO and public health experts worldwide.

The NCDC urged Nigerians not to panic but to remain vigilant and practice proper hygiene measures.

Citizens were advised to wash their hands regularly, avoid contact with sick individuals or bodily fluids, and promptly report unusual illnesses to the nearest health facility.

The agency also warned against spreading false information capable of causing public panic.

“NCDC will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary,” the agency said.

Meanwhile, the WHO clarified that although the outbreak represents a serious international health concern, it has not yet met the threshold required for classification as a global pandemic.

The organisation also advised countries against imposing travel bans or border closures, insisting that coordinated surveillance, rapid testing, and effective public health response remain the best containment strategies.

WHO Declares Ebola Emergency as Nigeria Activates Nationwide Monitoring

NMA Demands ₦1bn Damages After Alleged EFCC Attack on Doctor

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Akwa Ibom State has threatened a ₦1 billion lawsuit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and ordered the withdrawal of medical services following an alleged violent confrontation involving EFCC operatives at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH).

The dispute stems from an incident reportedly involving a senior cardiothoracic surgeon, Professor Eyo Ekpe, during an EFCC operation at the hospital premises in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday, the Akwa Ibom NMA Chairman, Professor Aniekan Peter, accused EFCC operatives of storming the hospital on Tuesday while investigating a fraud-related case involving a suspect receiving medical care at the facility. He alleged that masked operatives forcefully apprehended Professor Ekpe inside the hospital environment and assaulted him “to the point of bleeding,” before handcuffing him alongside other medical staff who attempted to intervene. He further claimed that the incident disrupted hospital activities and violated the sanctity of healthcare facilities, which are expected to remain safe spaces for both patients and medical professionals.

Professor Peter also alleged that he was shoved and exposed to teargas while attempting to engage the operatives for clarification during the incident, describing the operation as “barbaric, degrading and inhuman” and insisting it amounted to physical, emotional, and institutional abuse of medical personnel.

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, however, denied allegations of brutality, stating that its operatives only visited the hospital to verify a medical report submitted by a suspect under investigation. The Commission said its officers engaged hospital authorities, including the Chief Medical Director, and later withdrew peacefully after encountering resistance during initial inquiries. It maintained that the visit did not disrupt hospital operations and was carried out in line with standard investigative procedures.

In a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting, the NMA declared its intention to seek ₦1 billion in damages from the EFCC over the alleged assault. The communiqué, signed by Professor Aniekan Peter, Secretary Dr. Ighorodje Edesiri, and read by Assistant Secretary Dr. Unyime Ndoh, also demanded a public apology and the prosecution of officers allegedly involved in the incident.

The association further announced an indefinite withdrawal of services in the state until its demands are met. It also stated that its members would suspend medical services to EFCC personnel and their relatives until the matter is resolved.

The NMA stressed that hospitals must remain protected environments where doctors can carry out their duties without intimidation or interference from security agencies. It warned that failure to address the incident could set a dangerous precedent for future interactions between law enforcement agencies and healthcare institutions.

The development has sparked renewed debate over how security operatives conduct enforcement operations in sensitive medical environments, where patient care is ongoing. As of press time, the EFCC has not issued any further statement beyond its initial clarification.

NMA Demands ₦1bn Damages After Alleged EFCC Attack on Doctor