WHO warns Ebola outbreak could spread further in Central Africa

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said more than 130 deaths are believed to be linked to the outbreak, with over 500 suspected cases reported so far. He added that the situation has the potential to worsen due to population movements, insecurity and the lack of approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, News.Az reports, citing CNN.

Tedros declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Saturday, marking the first time a WHO chief has issued such a declaration before convening an emergency committee.

Cases have been reported in urban areas including Kampala, Goma and Bunia, while infections among healthcare workers have raised concerns about transmission inside medical facilities. The WHO chief also said intensified conflict in Ituri province, where the outbreak was first detected in early May, has displaced more than 100,000 people and increased the risk of the virus spreading further.

Health officials said the epidemic is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics. Medical workers are exploring potential monoclonal antibody treatments, while international teams continue efforts to contain the outbreak.

According to WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ebola symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in some cases, internal and external bleeding.