The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency on Wednesday over a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, warning that the virus strain causing the epidemic has no approved vaccine or treatment.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the declaration during an emergency press conference, citing the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola as the culprit. He said the absence of vaccines and therapeutics has severely hampered efforts to contain the virus, especially as infections continue spreading in urban centres and among healthcare workers.
The numbers are stark. The DRC has confirmed 51 Ebola cases so far, mostly in Ituri and North Kivu provinces including the cities of Bunia and Goma. Uganda has confirmed two infections in Kampala, with one death. An American working in the DRC also tested positive and was transferred to Germany for treatment. But these confirmed figures tell only part of the story. Health authorities say nearly 600 suspected cases exist across the affected areas, with 139 suspected deaths already recorded.
Tedros said he took the unusual step of declaring the emergency before formally convening the WHO's Emergency Committee because speed mattered more than procedure. "I took this step in accordance with Article 12 of the International Health Regulations after consulting the ministers of health of the DRC and Uganda," he explained.
Several factors are driving fears of wider transmission. Conflict in Ituri province has displaced more than 100,000 people over the past two months alone. The region is a major mining zone with high levels of population movement, creating ideal conditions for the virus to spread. Health workers are already falling ill, signalling that healthcare-associated transmission is occurring.
Uganda has taken decisive action to reduce transmission risks. The government postponed its annual Martyrs' Day celebrations, an event that usually attracts up to two million pilgrims, specifically because of the epidemic threat.
Tedros commended Uganda's decision. "I thank the Government of Uganda for postponing the annual Martyrs' Day celebrations, which can attract up to two million people, because of the risk posed by the epidemic," he said.
WHO currently assesses the risk as high at both national and regional levels, though the global risk remains low for now. The organisation has already deployed emergency response teams, supplies, equipment and funding to affected areas. Tedros said he approved an additional $3.4 million (approximately 5.4 billion naira) from the Contingency Fund for Emergencies to support the response.
The DRC and Uganda's health ministries, alongside international partners, are now racing to trace contacts, isolate cases, and establish treatment centres in the affected provinces. The coming weeks will determine whether rapid international action can slow transmission before the virus spreads further into neighbouring countries.
