A new outbreak? WHO acknowledges the seriousness of the Ebola outbreak

A deadly virus is making a comeback: an outbreak of the ‘Bundibugyo’ strain in Africa threatens to escalate into a global crisis. A lack of protective equipment, attacks on hospitals and budget shortfalls are hampering efforts to contain the infection in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Find out why the WHO recognises the gravity of the situation

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The international community is once again facing a serious health threat. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has officially declared the situation regarding the new Ebola outbreak a public health emergency. Due to a lack of funding, instability in the affected areas and logistical problems, the virus continues to claim lives and spread beyond its initial areas of transmission.

What is the Ebola virus and how is it transmitted?

The disease caused by the Ebola virus is an acute and extremely severe viral infection that is often fatal. The current outbreak is caused by a specific strain of the virus known as ‘Bundibugyo’. The main danger of this disease lies in its high contagiousness through direct contact and its rapid progression within the human body.

The virus is transmitted from person to person exclusively through bodily fluids. Infection can occur through contact with the blood, saliva, sweat or vomit of an infected patient. This is why the relatives of patients and medical staff are at the highest risk.

The first symptoms of Ebola in humans

It can be difficult to recognise the disease in its early stages, as its onset is similar to that of many other viral infections. The incubation period can last from two days to three weeks. The disease begins with the sudden onset of a high fever, severe muscle weakness, headache and a sore throat.

As the infection progresses, patients experience severe vomiting and diarrhoea, and a rash appears. In the most severe cases, the virus affects the internal organs (primarily the liver and kidneys), after which both internal and external bleeding begins. Anyone suspected of having this condition must be placed in strict isolation immediately.

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Ebola outbreak: where the virus has been detected

To date, the epicentre of the crisis is the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The infection was initially detected in Ituri province, but due to excessively slow diagnosis in the early days of the outbreak, the virus managed to spread beyond its borders. Subsequently, cases of infection were confirmed in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, and the disease then crossed the national border.

According to the latest WHO data, 344 cases of infection have already been confirmed in the DRC, 60 of which have been fatal. The outbreak has spread geographically: in neighbouring Uganda, nine cases of the disease and one fatality have been officially confirmed, and one probable case of infection has been recorded.

WHO experts note that the time lost at the start of the epidemic was the main reason for the virus’s rapid spread.

WHO statement: why the situation is critical

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has openly stated that the international community is currently lagging behind the pace of the epidemic. According to him, the outbreak has reached a serious scale, but under the leadership of the DRC government, medical professionals are gradually managing to make up for lost time.

To effectively combat the virus over the next three months, $115 million is needed, but at present, the organisations involved in the crisis response have received only 35% of the required funding.

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