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WHO Declares Bundibugyo Ebolavirus Outbreak
WHO has declared the Ebola outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The declaration is cross-border transmission and the spread of Bundibugyo ebolavirus.
Ebola Virus Disease and PHEIC:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| PHEIC | Public Health Emergency of International Concern is defined under International Health Regulations, 2005 as a public health risk to other States through international spread of disease requiring coordinated international response. |
| Reason for Declaration | The declaration has been made due to cross-border transmission. |
| Epicentre | The epicentre of the outbreak is Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, bordering Uganda and South Sudan. |
| Responsible Strain | The 2026 outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain. |
| Vaccine Limitation | No licensed vaccines or specific therapeutics are available for the Bundibugyo strain, while existing vaccines such as Ervebo target only the Zaire strain. |
| Fatality | Bundibugyo ebolavirus exhibits lower fatality than the Zaire variant. |
| Ebola Virus Disease | Ebola Virus Disease, also known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a fatal illness in humans caused by Orthoebolavirus. |
| Natural Host | Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are hosts of the virus. |
| Transmission | Transmission occurs through close contact with blood, secretions, organs, broken skin, sweat, saliva, vomit, urine, semen, needles, bedding, burial practices, and infected animal fluids. |
| Animal Sources | Animal sources include fruit bats, monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees. |
| Contagious Period | Infected people are not contagious until they develop symptoms. |
| Incubation Period | The incubation period ranges from 2 to 21 days. |
| Symptoms | Symptoms comprise fever, muscle pain, headache, fatigue, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, and kidney and liver malfunction. |
| Global Health Alert | PHEIC is the second-highest level of global health alert below Pandemic Emergency. |