WHO Confirms 600 Suspected Ebola Cases, 139 Deaths 

The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has disclosed that 600 suspected Ebola cases and 139 suspected deaths have been recorded in the latest outbreak of the virus.

Speaking on Wednesday, Tedros warned that the figures could increase because the outbreak had been spreading for some time before health authorities detected it.

According to Reuters, the WHO Emergency Committee met in Geneva on Tuesday and concluded that the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, though it has not been classified as a global health emergency.

The emergency declaration, announced over the weekend, marked the first time the WHO chief issued such a declaration without first consulting external experts, citing the severity and rapid spread of the outbreak.

The latest Ebola outbreak comes amid ongoing efforts to contain recurring infections across Central and East Africa. Democratic Republic of the Congo has faced several Ebola outbreaks over the past decade, while neighboring Uganda has also recorded periodic cases linked to cross-border transmission and regional movement.