The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda is a "public health emergency of international concern," The World Health Organization declared Sunday, warning of risks to neighboring countries.
The WHO said the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency but that countries sharing land borders with the DRC are at high risk for further spread.
The U.N. health agency said in a statement that 80 suspected deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases and 246 suspected cases had been reported as of Saturday in the DRC's Ituri province across at least three health zones, including Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu.
The DRC Health Ministry had said Friday that 80 people had died in the new outbreak in the eastern province.
The 17th outbreak in the country, where Ebola was first identified in 1976, could in fact be much larger, given the high positivity rate of the initial samples and increasing number of suspected cases being reported, the WHO said.
