GENEVA: The World Health Organization said on Wednesday that the risk posed by the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was high at the national and regional levels but remained low worldwide, as suspected cases climbed to around 600 with 139 suspected deaths.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva that 51 Ebola cases had so far been confirmed in the DRC’s eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu.
“The WHO assesses the risk of the epidemic as high at the national and regional levels, and low at the global level,” Tedros said during a press conference at the UN health agency’s headquarters.
He said neighbouring Uganda had reported two confirmed cases in the capital Kampala, including one death, while a US national who contracted the virus while working in the DRC had tested positive and was being transferred to Germany for treatment.
“There are several factors that warrant serious concern about the potential for further spread and further deaths,” Tedros said.
“Beyond the confirmed cases, there are almost 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths. We expect those numbers to keep increasing, given the amount of time the virus was circulating before the outbreak was detected,” he added.
Emergency declared, but not a pandemic
Tedros declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday, the second-highest alert level under the International Health Regulations.
However, the WHO emergency committee concluded that the situation did not meet the threshold for a pandemic emergency.
“The current situation and criteria for a public health emergency of international concern have been met, and we agree that the current situation does not satisfy the criteria for a pandemic emergency,” committee chair Lucille Blumberg told reporters from South Africa.
WHO emergencies chief Chikwe Ihekweazu said the organisation’s immediate focus was identifying transmission chains.
“Our absolute priority now is to identify all the existing chains of transmission,” Ihekweazu said.
“That will then enable us to really define the scale of the outbreak and be able to provide care.”
Health authorities said the outbreak was being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no approved vaccine or treatment currently exists.
WHO technical officer Anais Legand said investigations suggested the virus may have been spreading in eastern Congo for months before detection.
“Given the scale, we are thinking that it has started probably a couple of months ago, but investigations are ongoing and our priority is really to cut the transmission chain by implementing contact tracing, isolating and caring for all suspect and confirmed cases,” she said.
Officials said the first suspected Ebola-related death was reported on April 20.
Following that death, investigators believe a suspected super-spreader event may have occurred either at a funeral or within a healthcare facility, although investigations remain under way.
The latest outbreak comes only five months after the DRC declared an earlier Ebola epidemic over.
US criticises WHO response
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticised the WHO response on Tuesday, saying the organisation had been “a little late” in identifying the deadly outbreak.
The criticism comes after US President Donald Trump moved to withdraw the United States from the WHO shortly after returning to office last year, accusing the agency of mishandling the Covid-19 pandemic.
Responding to Rubio’s remarks, Tedros said the criticism may stem from “lack of understanding” of how the International Health Regulations function.
“Maybe what the secretary said could be from lack of understanding of how IHR work, and the responsibilities of WHO and other entities,” Tedros said, explaining that the agency supports countries rather than replacing national authorities during outbreaks.
Risk remains very low in EU
The European Union said the risk of Ebola spreading within Europe remained “very low” and there was no indication that additional precautions were needed beyond standard public health guidance.
“We know that diseases do not stop at the borders, and this is also the case of Ebola,” EU spokeswoman Eva Hrncirova told reporters.
“But there is no indication that Europeans need to take further steps beyond the standard public health advice,” she added.
Hrncirova said the EU was intensifying support for the central African region, including sending humanitarian supplies to the DRC through an emergency air bridge.
“For example, there is a humanitarian air bridge on its way, so we will soon deliver essential material to DRC, medicines, protective material, infection control material, some tents,” she said.
