WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak in DRC and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced today that the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda constitutes a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" (PHEIC). According to Reuters, the WHO stated that this outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo ebolavirus but has not yet reached the level of a "pandemic emergency." In a statement, the UN health agency noted that as of yesterday, at least three health zones in the DRC's Ituri province—Bunia, Rwampara, and Mongwalu—have reported 80 suspected deaths, 8 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 246 suspected cases. The DRC's Ministry of Health said on the 15th that the new Ebola outbreak in the eastern province has resulted in at least 80 deaths. The WHO also reported two seemingly unrelated laboratory-confirmed cases in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, on the 15th and 16th, with one death. Both patients had returned from the DRC. Additionally, one laboratory-confirmed case was reported in Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, involving a patient who had traveled to Ituri province. The Ebola virus, a member of the Filoviridae family, is known for its unusual, filamentous structure, which is sometimes branched or coiled. The genus Ebolavirus currently includes five species: Bundibugyo, Zaire, Sudan, Reston, and Taï Forest, each with distinct antigenic and biological characteristics. The Bundibugyo, Zaire, and Sudan ebolaviruses have all caused several large-scale outbreaks in Africa. The Zaire virus was responsible for the massive West Africa outbreak in 2014. Reston ebolavirus, found in the Philippines and China, can cause fatal hemorrhagic disease in non-human primates but has only resulted in asymptomatic cases in sporadic human infections. Ebola virus disease is a severe, acute illness. To date, there have been no confirmed cases in Taiwan, where it is classified as a Category 5 Notifiable Infectious Disease. Information on clinical symptoms, incubation/communicable periods, transmission, and treatment is sourced from the Taiwan CDC.