The World Health Organization on Sunday declared the Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a “public health emergency of international concern”, warning that the virus poses a significant risk to neighbouring countries.
The WHO said the outbreak, linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, does not currently qualify as a pandemic-level emergency. However, it cautioned that countries sharing land borders with the DRC remain at high risk of further transmission.
In a statement, the UN health agency said that as of Saturday, 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases and 246 suspected infections had been reported in Ituri province in eastern DRC.
The outbreak has spread across at least three health zones, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu, according to the WHO.
Does it have vaccines?
Only the Zaire species of the disease has vaccines: Ervebo from Mercke and Sabdeno from Johnson & Johnson.
Three possible vaccines have been tested for the Sudan strain of the virus since late 2022, following a green light from the WHO.
Two monoclonal antibodies, which significantly reduce deaths, are also available against the Zaire strain.
But in any case, rehydration and transfusion are used to treat patients showing symptoms.
Origin of Ebola virus
The Ebola virus -- or Orthoebolavirus zairense, to give it its full scientific name -- was first identified in 1976 in DR Congo, then known as Zaire.
It comes from the filoviridae family of viruses, which are characterised by high fevers. It owes its name to the river in the north of the country near where the first epidemic broke out.
So far, six distinct strains of Ebola have been identified: Zaire, Sudan, Bundibugyo, Reston, Tai Forest and Bombali.
The Zaire species has caused the vast majority of cases since 2014.
The virus is spread by fruit bats, which are considered Ebola's natural hosts and do not themselves develop the illness.
Other animals, such as the great apes, antelopes and porcupine can also carry the disease and pass it on to humans.
During epidemics, Ebola is passed on by direct, close contact with infected humans. A healthy person can be infected by the body fluids -- blood, vomit or faecal matter -- of a sick person.
People can also be infected during funeral rites if people come into direct contact with the body of a victim of the virus.
But because Ebola cannot be caught by airborne transmission, it is less contagious than other viral illnesses.
But there is a very high mortality rate among those who catch the disease: between 40 and 70 percent in recent epidemics in the DR Congo, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
A study published in the science journal Nature said the virus could remain dormant in survivors only to revive years later, setting off a fresh outbreak.
What are the symptoms?
After an incubation period of between two and 21 days, the first symptoms can appear suddenly: a fever, fatigue, malaise, muscle pain, headache and sore throat.
Those symptoms are followed by by vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain rash, and symptoms of impaired kidney and liver functions.
That can sometimes be accompanied by internal and external bleeding.
Survivors frequently suffer from arthritis, vision problems, eye inflammations and hearing difficulties.
The WHO said the outbreak, linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, does not currently qualify as a pandemic-level emergency. However, it cautioned that countries sharing land borders with the DRC remain at high risk of further transmission.
In a statement, the UN health agency said that as of Saturday, 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases and 246 suspected infections had been reported in Ituri province in eastern DRC.
The outbreak has spread across at least three health zones, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu, according to the WHO.
Does it have vaccines?
Only the Zaire species of the disease has vaccines: Ervebo from Mercke and Sabdeno from Johnson & Johnson.Three possible vaccines have been tested for the Sudan strain of the virus since late 2022, following a green light from the WHO.
Two monoclonal antibodies, which significantly reduce deaths, are also available against the Zaire strain.
But in any case, rehydration and transfusion are used to treat patients showing symptoms.
Origin of Ebola virus
The Ebola virus -- or Orthoebolavirus zairense, to give it its full scientific name -- was first identified in 1976 in DR Congo, then known as Zaire.It comes from the filoviridae family of viruses, which are characterised by high fevers. It owes its name to the river in the north of the country near where the first epidemic broke out.
So far, six distinct strains of Ebola have been identified: Zaire, Sudan, Bundibugyo, Reston, Tai Forest and Bombali.
The Zaire species has caused the vast majority of cases since 2014.
The virus is spread by fruit bats, which are considered Ebola's natural hosts and do not themselves develop the illness.
Other animals, such as the great apes, antelopes and porcupine can also carry the disease and pass it on to humans.
During epidemics, Ebola is passed on by direct, close contact with infected humans. A healthy person can be infected by the body fluids -- blood, vomit or faecal matter -- of a sick person.
People can also be infected during funeral rites if people come into direct contact with the body of a victim of the virus.
But because Ebola cannot be caught by airborne transmission, it is less contagious than other viral illnesses.
But there is a very high mortality rate among those who catch the disease: between 40 and 70 percent in recent epidemics in the DR Congo, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
A study published in the science journal Nature said the virus could remain dormant in survivors only to revive years later, setting off a fresh outbreak.
What are the symptoms?
After an incubation period of between two and 21 days, the first symptoms can appear suddenly: a fever, fatigue, malaise, muscle pain, headache and sore throat.Those symptoms are followed by by vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain rash, and symptoms of impaired kidney and liver functions.
That can sometimes be accompanied by internal and external bleeding.
Survivors frequently suffer from arthritis, vision problems, eye inflammations and hearing difficulties.
