The World Health Organization announced Sunday that it has designated an Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as a “public health emergency of international concern.”
Health officials stated that while the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, it does not qualify as a pandemic emergency under current criteria.
According to the U.N. health agency’s statement, as of Saturday there have been 80 suspected fatalities, eight laboratory-confirmed infections and 246 suspected infections documented in the DRC’s Ituri province spanning at least three health districts, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu.
Health officials from the DRC announced Friday that 80 individuals had perished in this new outbreak occurring in the nation’s eastern province.
The WHO reported that in Uganda’s capital city of Kampala, two seemingly unconnected laboratory-confirmed infections were documented Friday and Saturday, including one fatality, involving individuals who had traveled from the DRC.
Health authorities also confirmed a laboratory-verified case in the DRC’s capital city of Kinshasa involving someone who had returned from the Ituri region, according to WHO officials.
