The World Health Organisation says Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached at least 600 suspected cases, including 139 deaths, warning that the figures are likely to rise as laboratory confirmation catches up with the fast‑moving outbreak.
WHO Director‑General Tedros Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva on Wednesday that 51 cases have so far been confirmed in eastern DRC and two in neighbouring Uganda, both involving travellers from Congo, one of whom has died.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola for which no approved vaccine exists, was declared a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday although WHO says it does not yet meet the threshold of a pandemic.
“WHO assesses the risk of the epidemic as high at the national and regional levels and low at the global level,” the WHO chief said.
The epicentre remains Ituri province, with confirmed infections also reported in North Kivu.
Health workers are among the dead and local facilities say they are overwhelmed despite the arrival of some protective equipment.
Uganda has confirmed two cases in Kampala linked to travel from DRC, underscoring the cross‑border risk.
WHO officials say the true scale of the outbreak in DRC is “much larger,” given delays in detection and the insecurity affecting surveillance in Ituri where conflict and population displacement complicate response efforts.
JN/APA