WHO: Ebola outbreak in Uganda over, but cases rising in DR Congo

WHO: Uganda Ebola outbreak ends, but outbreak continues in DR Congo

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the end of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus in Uganda.

A total of 20 people have been diagnosed with the disease in the country, including two deaths. The Ugandan government declared the country Ebola-free on July 28, and WHO has been monitoring the situation until this week to ensure that the chain of transmission has been completely broken.

However, the situation in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) remains complex. Marie Roseline Belizère, WHO’s regional director for emergencies in Africa, said that Ebola cases in the country continue to rise and the outbreak is spreading faster than it can be controlled.

According to the Congolese government, as of August 25, the country had recorded more than 5,600 cases and more than 2,700 deaths. A WHO representative said that transmission of the virus was still active in Congo, but that contact tracing and testing were improving.

Analysis showed that the Bundibugyo virus had not shown signs of a mutation that could make it spread rapidly. At the same time, the WHO said that it urgently needed $30 million to deliver medical supplies and personal protective equipment to the most affected areas.

As of August 24, more than 2,500 people had died from the disease, making it the largest Ebola outbreak in the country's history. About 160 cases and 43 deaths were also recorded among health workers.