Ebola outbreak is a global health emergency: what happens next

"An outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has almost certainly been spreading undetected for weeks or even months, say infectious-disease researchers. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on 17 May. At least 10 people have tested positive for Ebola virus, but more than 330 people have suspected infections, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So far, more than 80 people are thought to have died from the disease."

"Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said infections have been reported among people with no connection to each other. At least four health-care workers in the same hospital have died, suggesting that the virus might be spreading in clinical settings. The true number of cases is potentially much larger than what has been reported, and it is unclear how people with confirmed or suspected infections have been exposed to the virus, Tedros said in a statement."

"When health-care workers are affected, the health system itself becomes vulnerable and that can accelerate an outbreak, says Vinod Balasubramaniam, a molecular virologist at Monash University in Subang Jaya, Malaysia."

"On 15 May, a national laboratory in the DRC confirmed that the outbreak was caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus, which has a reported fatality rate of between 25% and 50%. As with the other Ebola viruses that infect people, Bundibugyo is spread through contact with an infected person's blood or other bodily fluids. There have been only two previous documented outbreaks caused by the Bundibugyo species, says Siouxsie Wiles, a microbiologist at the University of Auc"

An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has likely been spreading undetected for weeks or months. The World Health Organization declared it a public health emergency of international concern on 17 May. At least 10 people tested positive, while more than 330 people are suspected to be infected, and more than 80 deaths are thought to have occurred. Cases have also been reported in Uganda after two confirmed infections entered from the DRC. Infections appear among people with no known connections, and at least four health-care workers have died, suggesting possible spread in clinical settings. The Bundibugyo species was confirmed on 15 May, with a reported fatality rate of 25% to 50%, and transmission occurs through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids.

Read at Nature