On July 17, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially raised the alarm level for the Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to a global public health emergency. This marks the fifth such declaration by the WHO, following the West Africa Ebola outbreak, the Zika epidemic, the H1N1 influenza pandemic, and polio.
The decision came after an emergency meeting of the WHO Emergency Committee in Geneva, Switzerland. Committee Chair Professor Robert Steffen stated: 'Although the situation is very serious, the risk of spread outside the region remains low. However, we recognize the need for stronger international coordination to contain the disease.'
To date, the Ebola outbreak in the DRC has resulted in at least 1,674 infections and 1,104 deaths, including many health workers. The outbreak was first recorded in August 2018, primarily in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces, regions plagued by prolonged armed conflict that complicates disease control efforts.
The WHO is appealing to the international community for financial and human resources to implement measures such as vaccination, contact tracing, and community awareness campaigns. The organization also emphasized that travel and trade restrictions in the region are unnecessary at this time.
