BUNIA, Democratic Republic of Congo - Medical personnel are rushing to the frontlines of a new Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo. Its late detection and rapid spread have alarmed health experts.
The WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday after two cases were confirmed in Kampala, Uganda's capital.
The outbreak is suspected to have killed about 80 people in recent weeks, with eight confirmed cases and 246 suspected in Ituri province. Another case was confirmed in Goma, North Kivu.
The U.S. CDC said it is supporting the withdrawal of affected Americans. Congo's Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba arrived in Bunia with tents for treatment centers.
"This is not a mystical disease," Kamba told Reuters. "Make yourself known so you can be cared for and prevent the disease from spreading."
WHO's representative in Congo, Anne Ancia, said WHO has emptied its protective equipment stocks in Kinshasa and is preparing a cargo plane from Kenya.
The International Rescue Committee and Medecins Sans Frontieres said they have teams responding to the outbreak.
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccine or therapeutics. An earlier outbreak from 2018-2020 killed nearly 2,300 people.
Armed violence in eastern Congo complicates the response. In recent weeks, clashes between rival groups have killed scores of civilians.
