By Josephine Sesay
The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern over the increasing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighboring Uganda, revealing that suspected cases have now risen to 600, with 139 suspected deaths recorded so far.
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, disclosed the latest figures during a media briefing in Geneva on Wednesday, warning that the numbers are expected to rise further due to delays in detecting the virus.
According to the WHO, 51 Ebola cases have been laboratory confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the outbreak was first detected, while two confirmed cases have been reported in neighboring Uganda.
Health officials stated that the outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a relatively rare species for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Dr Tedros noted that the virus may have been circulating for several months before it was officially detected by health authorities.
Despite growing concerns over the spread of the disease, the WHO clarified that the outbreak has not been classified as a pandemic.
The organization on Sunday declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), which represents the highest alert level under international health regulations.
However, following a meeting of the WHO emergency committee on Tuesday, Dr Tedros explained that the situation does not currently meet the threshold for a pandemic emergency.
“WHO assesses the risk of the epidemic as high at the national and regional levels and low at the global level,” he stated.
The outbreak has raised fears of further regional spread due to cross-border movement, insecurity in affected communities, and limited healthcare resources in some parts of the region.
International health agencies and humanitarian organisations are currently intensifying surveillance, contact tracing, and emergency response measures as efforts continue to contain the outbreak and prevent wider transmission across Central and East Africa.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 25th May 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
