The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The announcement, made on Wednesday, follows a resurgence of cases in North Kivu province, where the virus has claimed over 1,400 lives since August 2018. The decision elevates the outbreak to the highest level of alert, triggering coordinated international response measures.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general, cited the recent confirmation of a case in Goma, a city of two million people on the Rwandan border, as a pivotal factor. The emergency declaration, recommended by the WHO emergency committee, aims to mobilise resources and enhance border surveillance.
The outbreak is the second deadliest on record, after the 2014-2016 epidemic in West Africa. Regional instability and community mistrust have hampered containment efforts.
