WHO declares Ebola outbreak an emergency

The World Health Organization has declared an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, its highest level of alert.

The declaration was made on 16 May, just two days after the first cases were reported in Ituri province, in the east of the Congo.

A rare strain

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which is less common than the Zaire strain responsible for most previous outbreaks. That is a serious concern, because the existing vaccines and treatments for Ebola were developed for the Zaire strain and are not expected to work against Bundibugyo.

There have been only two previous outbreaks of the Bundibugyo strain, in Uganda in 2007 and in the Congo in 2012.

A dangerous disease

Ebola is a severe and often fatal disease. It spreads through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected people, and through contact with the bodies of those who have died. Symptoms include fever, weakness, vomiting and bleeding.

Traditional burial practices, which can involve washing and touching the body, have helped to spread the disease in past outbreaks.

A troubled region

The outbreak is in one of the most unstable parts of the world. Eastern Congo has suffered from years of conflict, with armed groups fighting for control of land and valuable mines. Fighting makes it difficult for health workers to reach communities, trace contacts and treat patients.

The region is also a busy crossroads for trade and travel, raising fears that the disease could spread further.

This is the 17th outbreak of Ebola in the Congo, and it began only months after the previous one was declared over.

International response

The declaration allows the WHO to coordinate an international response and to call on countries to provide money, staff and supplies. Health agencies are sending teams to the area, and scientists are working to test possible treatments.

The risk to Britain

Ebola does not spread easily between people who do not have close contact, and health experts say the risk to the public in Britain is very low.

The largest Ebola outbreak on record, in West Africa between 2014 and 2016, killed more than 11,000 people. Health experts say lessons from that epidemic, including the importance of early action, are being applied now.