The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak affecting parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, after dozens of deaths were reported and new cross-border infections raised fears of wider regional spread.
The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, has so far been linked to at least 80 suspected deaths, alongside eight laboratory-confirmed cases and 246 suspected infections, according to WHO figures released over the weekend.
Health authorities said cases have been recorded across multiple health zones in eastern DRC, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu in Ituri province, an area that borders Uganda and has a history of recurrent Ebola flare-ups.
The WHO said the situation does not meet the criteria of a global pandemic emergency, but warned that the outbreak presents a “high risk” of cross-border transmission to neighbouring countries due to population movement and porous borders in the region.
In Uganda, health officials confirmed laboratory cases in the capital Kampala involving travellers from the DRC, including at least one death, underscoring the virus’s already documented international spread.
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The outbreak has also raised concern over the exposure of foreign nationals, with reports indicating that at least six Americans may have been exposed while in affected areas, including several classified as high-risk contacts. One individual is believed to have developed symptoms, according to media reports, though this has not been independently verified.
Health authorities in the United States have activated emergency response systems, while stressing that the overall risk to the general US population remains low. Plans are also under way to potentially evacuate exposed individuals from the region under strict medical protocols.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it has deployed additional personnel to support response operations in both DRC and Uganda, and is coordinating closely with local health ministries and international partners.
In Kinshasa and Goma, the WHO has been working with national authorities to verify case reports and strengthen surveillance systems. One previously suspected case in the capital was later ruled negative after confirmatory testing.
The agency said the Bundibugyo strain presents additional challenges because, unlike the more widely known Ebola Zaire variant, there are currently no approved vaccines or specific antiviral treatments targeting this form of the virus.
This makes containment efforts more dependent on rapid isolation, contact tracing, and strict infection prevention measures.
WHO officials have urged countries in the region to activate emergency response systems, expand screening at border points, and strengthen monitoring of travellers who may have been exposed.
However, the agency has also cautioned against border closures, warning that such measures could drive movement underground and hinder effective tracking of potential cases.
“Travel restrictions and border closures may be counterproductive if they push movement into informal channels that are harder to monitor,” the WHO said in its advisory.
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The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has also raised concern about the outbreak’s trajectory, noting that the region’s dense forests and high mobility between communities create favourable conditions for transmission.
Ebola, a highly infectious viral disease transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids, causes severe symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and internal bleeding, and can be fatal in a large proportion of cases.
The DRC, where Ebola was first identified in 1976, has experienced multiple outbreaks over the past decades, making it one of the most frequently affected countries globally.
This latest outbreak marks at least the 17th recorded in the country, according to health authorities, and comes amid ongoing efforts to strengthen disease surveillance and vaccination capacity across central and eastern Africa.
International health experts say the declaration of an emergency of international concern is intended to accelerate coordination, funding and response efforts to prevent further spread, particularly into densely populated urban centres in both DRC and Uganda.
As investigations continue, authorities are urging communities in affected regions to avoid contact with suspected cases, report symptoms early, and adhere strictly to public health guidance.
