WHO explains why the Ebola emergency is considered high risk

The World Health Organization on Sunday sounded its highest international alarm over an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, declaring it a public health emergency of international concern.

The agency said the outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, does not qualify as a pandemic emergency. Even so, it warned that countries sharing land borders with the DRC face a high risk of further spread.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has long maintained a “Do Not Travel” advisory for the DRC, its most severe warning level.

It warns: “You should not travel to this country or territory. If you are already in this location, you should consider leaving if it is safe to do so. Our ability to provide consular assistance to Irish citizens in this location is extremely limited.”

What is Ebola?

Ebola disease is a severe and often fatal virus that can trigger fever, body aches, vomiting and diarrhoea. It spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, contaminated materials, or people who have died from the disease, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

This marks the DRC’s 17th outbreak since the disease was first identified in 1976.

What is the bundibugyo strain?

Bundibugyo is one strain of the virus. The WHO says there have been two previous outbreaks linked to it.

This outbreak is considered “extraordinary” because, unlike Ebola-Zaire strains, there are no approved therapeutics or vaccines specifically targeting the Bundibugyo virus, the WHO said.

“Unfortunately, Bundibugyo has fewer proven countermeasures than Zaire ebolavirus, where vaccines have been highly effective in controlling outbreaks,” said Amanda Rojek, Associate Professor of Health Emergencies, Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford, in a statement.

Which countries has it spread to?

The governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda have confirmed cases, with the outbreak hitting the DRC hardest.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Sunday that it was coordinating with South Sudan to track cross-border movement and curb any wider international spread.

How many people have been affected?

The WHO said on Sunday that eight lab-confirmed cases had been recorded, alongside 80 suspected deaths and 246 suspected infections.

An additional case in Goma, the eastern DRC town controlled by M23 rebels, was confirmed in a statement issued by the group on Sunday.

Ugandan officials also confirmed a second case on Sunday.

The WHO cautioned, however, that “there are significant uncertainties to the true number of infected persons and geographic spread associated with this event at the present time”.