WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak a Public Health Emergency

The WHO has declared the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency after over 300 cases and 88 deaths. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, is severe but not yet at a pandemic level. International travel remains open as efforts are underway to control the spread.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared the Ebola disease outbreak in Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made this announcement following reports of over 300 suspected cases and 88 fatalities.

The outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo virus—a rare strain of the Ebola virus without approved therapeutics or vaccines—has raised significant issues, although it does not yet qualify as a pandemic-level threat like COVID-19. Health authorities have confirmed that the disease is highly contagious and spread through bodily fluids, including vomit, blood, and semen.

While previous WHO emergency declarations often met with mixed responses regarding aid and resource deployment, the organization hopes this announcement encourages action. Congo remains the epicenter, with all but two cases located there; the remaining two have been reported in Uganda.