WHO Says DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Is Not a Pandemic But Remains a Public Health Emergency

The WHO says the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is a public health emergency but not a pandemic, with 51 confirmed cases and about 600 suspected infections, including two cases in Uganda. Officials warn the outbreak could last months and stress that stronger contact tracing, isolation, and international cooperation are needed to contain its spread.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo does not meet the threshold for a global pandemic, according to the chair of the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency committee overseeing the response. The assessment was made on Wednesday as international concern grows over the spread of the virus across parts of Central and East Africa.
Lucille Blumberg, speaking from South Africa, said the outbreak currently meets the criteria for a public health emergency of international concern, but not for a pandemic emergency. She explained that although the situation is serious and requires coordinated international action, it does not show the level of widespread global transmission needed for pandemic classification.
The WHO has assessed that the risk of international spread is high at national and regional levels, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, but remains low at the global level. Health officials say the situation is being closely monitored as containment efforts continue in affected areas.
The update comes as the WHO reported that the outbreak, which has already led to at least 134 suspected deaths, could continue for at least two more months. Humanitarian agencies and health workers are intensifying efforts to slow transmission as new infections continue to emerge in affected communities.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said 51 confirmed cases have been recorded so far in the northern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, he warned that the true scale of the outbreak is likely much larger than current confirmed figures indicate.
He also confirmed that Uganda has reported two confirmed cases in the capital, Kampala, raising additional concern about cross-border spread. In addition to confirmed infections, health authorities are tracking nearly 600 suspected cases, with officials warning that numbers are expected to rise as surveillance improves.
The WHO has declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, requiring coordinated global response efforts to contain its spread. The agency has also expressed concern about the rapid “scale and speed” at which the virus is spreading across affected regions.
Officials believe the outbreak likely began several months earlier than it was detected, allowing undetected transmission chains to develop within communities. This delayed identification has made containment more difficult and increased the urgency of response operations.
Anais Legand, WHO technical officer on viral haemorrhagic fevers, said investigations are ongoing, stressing that the main priority is to break transmission chains. This involves intensive contact tracing, isolating suspected and confirmed cases, and ensuring proper care for patients.
Health teams continue to operate under challenging conditions in affected areas, where insecurity, displacement, and limited healthcare access are hampering response efforts. The WHO says sustained cooperation between national authorities, international partners, and local communities will be essential to bringing the outbreak under control.