WHO Raises National Risk Level for Ebola Outbreak in Congo

The head of the World Health Organization said Friday that an Ebola outbreak centered in the Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading rapidly and now carries a very high risk at the national level. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters the agency had revised its assessment after confirming 82 cases and seven deaths.

He added that the true scale is larger, with nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths.

Congo authorities on Friday banned funeral wakes and gatherings of more than 50 people. Funerals must follow health protocols, and journalists require permits to cover the outbreak. On Thursday, residents set fire to an Ebola treatment center in Rwampara after being prevented from retrieving a body.

Local police said the youths did not understand burial regulations. Aid workers fled the site, and calm was later restored.

Uganda reported two confirmed cases linked to travel from Congo and one death, with the situation described as stable. S. government restricted entry for travelers who visited Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the prior 21 days. India and the African Union postponed the India-Africa Forum Summit scheduled for next week in New Delhi.

Congo's national soccer team canceled a training camp and fan event in Kinshasa. Health officials continue case searches and surveillance. No vaccine or treatment exists yet for the Bundibugyo strain involved in this outbreak.