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

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