The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern. BBC reported this.
At the same time, the organization said the current scale of the outbreak does not yet meet the definition of a pandemic. So far, about 246 suspected cases and 80 deaths have been recorded.
The virus has already spread beyond the DRC: two confirmed cases were identified in neighboring Uganda. WHO also said there is
significant uncertainty about the true number of infected people and the geographic spreadof the disease.
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus. There are still no approved medicines or vaccines against it.
Countries bordering the DRC are considered high-risk areas for further transmission. WHO stressed that countries outside the region should not close borders or restrict trade and travel, because
such measures are usually driven by fear and have no scientific basis.