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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/17/who-ebola-outbreak-congo-uganda-global-health-emergency>
"An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda is a
“public health emergency of international concern”, the World Health
Organization has said.
The WHO made its declaration on Sunday after 88 deaths and more than 300
suspected cases linked to the outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, prompting
Africa’s top health official to say he was “on panic mode”.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the WHO, announced the
decision before convening a formal emergency committee at the organisation.
Experts said the speed was likely to reflect the gravity of the situation.
The Bundibugyo virus is one of three strains that can cause Ebola virus
disease, and the least common. There are no approved vaccines or treatments for
the strain, or specific tests.
Ebola is a highly contagious disease, spread via bodily fluids such as blood
and vomit. It has a high fatality rate, particularly in low-resourced settings
that are unable to provide the supportive care typically available in the
intensive care units of a high-income country.
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced the
outbreak publicly on Friday, but said it was not yet clear when it had begun.
It is convening experts and likely to announce a continental public health
emergency in the coming days."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
