00:00The World Health Organization has declared the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda a
00:08public health emergency of international concern.
00:11The agency stopped short of declaring a pandemic but warned there is a high risk the virus could spread further
00:18across the region.
00:20The outbreak began in eastern Congo's Ituri province and involves the rare Buniburjo strain of Ebola, which currently has no
00:28approved vaccine or treatment.
00:31The WHO says 80 suspected deaths, 8 confirmed cases and 246 suspected infections have been recorded across at least three
00:40health zones in the province.
00:42In Uganda, authorities reported two cases in the capital, including one death involving travellers arriving from the DRC.
00:50The DRC has recorded at least 17 Ebola outbreaks since the virus was first identified there in 1976.
00:57The deadliest outbreak between 2018 and 2020 killed nearly 2,300 people and spread into Uganda.
01:05Overall, Ebola has killed around 15,000 people since it was first discovered, most of them in Africa.
Comments