Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The World Health Organization warns that the risk posed by the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains high at national and regional levels as infections continue spreading across Central Africa.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday says the outbreak has already recorded 51 confirmed cases in eastern Congo’s Ituri and North Kivu provinces, while health authorities suspect the actual scale is significantly larger.
“There are several factors that warrant serious concern about the potential for further spread and further deaths,” Tedros said during a press conference in Geneva.
Uganda has also confirmed two Ebola cases in Kampala, including one death, while a United States national infected in Congo has been transferred to Germany for treatment.
WHO estimates nearly 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths linked to the outbreak, warning that the figures could rise as investigations continue.
On Sunday, Tedros declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, triggering emergency response mechanisms worldwide.
However, WHO’s emergency committee says the situation has not yet reached the threshold of a full pandemic emergency.
Committee chair Lucille Blumberg says current conditions do not satisfy the criteria for a global pandemic declaration.
WHO technical officer Anais Legand says investigators believe the virus may have circulated undetected in eastern Congo for months before discovery.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticises WHO for reacting “a little late” to the outbreak.
Responding to the criticism, Tedros says WHO operates under international health regulations that require coordination with national governments during outbreaks.
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Korede Abdullah