WHO Reports 600 Suspected Ebola Cases and 139 Deaths in Congo and Uganda

The World Health Organization reported 600 suspected Ebola cases and 139 suspected deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda as of Wednesday. WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak involves the Bundibugyo species and likely began a couple of months ago. Fifty-one cases have been confirmed in Congo and two in Uganda.

The confirmed cases in Congo are located in Ituri and North Kivu provinces. In Uganda, both confirmed cases were reported in the capital Kampala among individuals who had traveled from Congo. Four areas in Ituri province have recorded cases: Mongwalu, Bunia, Rwampara and Nyakunde. In North Kivu, cases appeared in rebel-controlled Goma and Butembo.

The first known case was a nurse who developed symptoms and died on 24 April in Bunia. The body was later repatriated to Mongwalu, one of two gold-mining towns where most cases have been reported. Congo is experiencing its 17th Ebola outbreak. The Bundibugyo species has not been seen for more than a decade and has no approved vaccine or specific treatments.

WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday. The organization's emergency committee stated the situation is not a pandemic emergency and assessed the risk as high at national and regional levels but low globally.