WHO declares Ebola outbreak in Congo, Uganda an emergency of international concern

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), after around 80 deaths were linked to the disease.

According to the WHO, the outbreak is being caused by the Bundibugyo virus disease, which is associated with the Bundibugyo virus (BDBV). Although the situation does not currently qualify as a pandemic emergency, the WHO warned that there is a high risk of the disease spreading to neighbouring countries sharing land borders with the DRC.

The WHO noted that this is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the disease was first identified in 1976. The organisation cautioned that the actual scale of the outbreak may be significantly larger due to the high positivity rate among initial samples and the growing number of suspected cases.

About Ebola Disease

Ebola disease (EBOD) is a rare but severe viral illness in humans and is often fatal. It is caused by viruses belonging to the Orthoebolavirus genus of the Filoviridae family.

So far, six species of Orthoebolaviruses have been identified. Three are known to cause major outbreaks:

• Ebola virus (EBOV) causing Ebola virus disease (EVD)
• Sudan virus (SUDV) causing Sudan virus disease (SVD)
• Bundibugyo virus (BDBV) causing Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD)

The disease first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks:

• One outbreak of Sudan virus disease in Nzara, now in South Sudan
• Another outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Yambuku, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The latter outbreak occurred near the Ebola River, from which the disease derives its name.

Transmission and Treatment

Scientists believe fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are the natural hosts of the virus. Ebola can spread to humans through close contact with infected animals such as fruit bats, chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines.

Human-to-human transmission occurs through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or bodily fluids of infected persons. Individuals do not transmit the disease before symptoms appear, but they remain infectious as long as the virus is present in their blood.

While licensed vaccines and treatments exist for Ebola virus disease (EVD), there are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics for Sudan virus disease (SVD) or Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD). However, several candidate vaccines and treatments are under development.