WHO declares Ebola an international emergency: Here are the steps you can take to stay safe

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday declared an international health emergency following the outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. According to the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa), 88 people have been killed and more than 300 suspected cases of the highly contagious infection have been reported so far.

Although the declaration of the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, its second highest level of alert, the WHO also noted that it does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency.

Ebola epidemic in DRC, Uganda

In its assessment, the WHO said 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths were reported in Ituri province, DRC, in at least three health zones, and two laboratory-confirmed cases, including one death with no apparent connection to each other, were reported in Kampala, Uganda.

“There are significant uncertainties about the actual number of people infected and the geographic distribution,” the WHO noted.

What causes Ebola?

Ebola is caused by a group of viruses. Three of these are known to cause large outbreaks: Ebola virus, Sudan virus, and Bundibugyo virus. According to the WHO, the current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which is rare and has only been responsible for two previously reported outbreaks.

Bundibugyo virus was first detected in Uganda’s Bundibugyo district during an epidemic in 2007-2008 that infected 149 people and killed 37. The second time was in 2012 in an outbreak in Isiro, Congo, where 57 cases and 29 deaths were reported.

Past deadly Ebola outbreaks

The first case of an Ebola outbreak was reported as early as 1976 in what is now South Sudan and the Congo, and since then there have been sporadic cases in West and Central Africa.

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The worst Ebola outbreak was between 2013 and 2016, when over 28,000 cases and 11,000 deaths were reported from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Isolated cases of Ebola linked to travel to affected countries were also reported from the US, UK, Italy and Spain during the same period.

Another major Ebola outbreak was reported from Congo and Uganda between 2018 and 2020, affecting more than 3,400 people and causing more than 2,200 deaths.

How does Ebola spread?

According to the US CDC, Ebola infection can be fatal with a death rate of up to 80 to 90 percent.

Ebola is spread exclusively by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or animal or by touching contaminated objects. It is not an airborne disease and cannot be spread by casual contact, water or mosquito bites.

Symptoms of Ebola

Symptoms of Ebola can be sudden and include fever, fatigue, malaise, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, rash, and symptoms of impaired kidney and liver function follow. It is important for healthcare professionals and caregivers to be on the lookout for these symptoms.

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Can vaccines prevent Ebola

According to the WHO, two highly effective vaccines are available to prevent Ebola. However, these vaccines are only effective against the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus and do not offer protection against other strains.

How to stay safe?

WHO recommends limiting contact with infected bats or monkeys/monkeys and consumption of their raw meat to reduce the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission. To reduce the risk of human-to-human transmission, the UN agency advises against close physical contact with Ebola patients. Patients should be isolated in a designated treatment center for early care and to prevent transmission at home, WHO notes.