WHO Declares Public Health Emergency Over Ebola Outbreak in Congo and Uganda

However, the WHO said on Sunday that the outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus has not yet reached pandemic levels.

According to the agency, by Saturday at least 80 suspected deaths had been reported across three regions of Congo’s Ituri province — Bunia, Rwampara, and Mongbwalu. Authorities have also recorded eight laboratory-confirmed infections and 246 suspected cases.

Earlier on Friday, Congo’s Health Ministry announced that 80 people had died in the new outbreak in the country’s eastern province.

The WHO further reported that two separate laboratory-confirmed Ebola cases were identified in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, on Friday and Saturday. One of the infected individuals has died. Health officials said the patients had recently traveled from Congo.

In addition, an Ebola case was detected in Kinshasa involving a traveler returning from Ituri province.

The spread of the disease has prompted Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to issue warnings about “active community transmission.” Health workers are now intensifying screening efforts and tracing people who may have come into contact with infected individuals.

Journalists from Associated Press spoke with residents in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, where locals described growing fear and daily burials.

A resident, Jean Marc Asimwe, said people have been dying every day for nearly a week.

“Every day we are burying two, three, or even more people,” he said. “At this moment, we don’t even know exactly what kind of disease this is.”

Ebola is an extremely contagious disease that can spread through bodily fluids such as vomit, blood, and semen. Although rare, the disease is highly severe and often fatal.

On Friday, the Congolese government initially reported 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases.

Congo, Africa’s second-largest country, has faced multiple Ebola outbreaks in the past. However, delivering medical supplies and expert assistance to remote and conflict-affected regions remains a major challenge.

During an online briefing on Saturday, Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya said the first infections were detected in Mongbwalu, a busy mining region.

He explained that infected patients traveled to Rwampara and Bunia seeking medical treatment, contributing to the spread of the virus across the three regions.

According to Kaseya, a large number of active Ebola patients remain within local communities, particularly in Mongbwalu, making disease control and contact tracing extremely difficult.

He also warned that ongoing attacks by militants linked to the Islamic State in Ituri are disrupting surveillance and emergency response efforts.

Located about 1,000 kilometers from Kinshasa, Ituri has long suffered from violence and instability, further complicating efforts to contain the outbreak.