The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a global health emergency after cases spread beyond the original outbreak area and reached both countries’ capitals.
The agency made the declaration after health officials confirmed infections in Kinshasa and Kampala. The outbreak was first detected in Ituri Province in north-eastern Congo. Health authorities said 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths linked to the virus had been recorded. Only eight cases have so far been confirmed through laboratory testing.
The WHO said the number of infections could be higher than current figures suggest. The agency said eight out of 13 samples collected from different areas tested positive for Ebola.
In a statement, the organisation said: “There are significant uncertainties to the true number of infected persons and geographic spread associated with this event at the present time.”
The WHO also said the outbreak could be spreading more widely than health officials have detected so far. It described the situation as a “public health emergency of international concern.”
Health authorities in both countries are continuing surveillance, testing and response efforts as they try to contain the spread of the virus.
Ademide Adebayo
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