Geneva: The World Health Organisation on Wednesday said a total of 528 suspected Ebola cases, including 132 deaths, have been reported in the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda as of May 18.
The agency noted that 668 contacts have been identified so far, including 541 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and 127 in Uganda. However, it said contact tracing remains difficult in certain areas of the DRC due to insecurity and movement restrictions.
The United Nations health agency had earlier declared the outbreak—caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus—as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
In an update shared on social media, WHO said that out of 12 suspected cases reported in Uganda, two were confirmed through laboratory testing, while the remaining cases tested negative.
Response operations have been intensified in the affected regions, with expanded surveillance, case investigation, and emergency deployment of health experts. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 38 experts—including 20 from the national Ministry of Health and 18 from WHO—have been deployed from Kinshasa to Bunia to support containment efforts.
More than 17 tons of emergency medical supplies have also been dispatched to the DRC, including personal protective equipment, medicines, tents, stretchers, and other essential materials.
The WHO added that laboratory capacity is being strengthened through mobile labs and technical teams deployed to affected areas to improve local testing and diagnostic capabilities. Risk communication and community engagement activities are also being scaled up to ensure public participation in response efforts.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry in India is closely monitoring the situation, according to official sources. Senior officials from the National Centre for Disease Control, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, and Indian Council of Medical Research have reviewed the evolving outbreak and initiated precautionary measures.
Health authorities in India have clarified that no Ebola cases have been reported in the country so far and that the current risk remains low. However, surveillance and preparedness measures are being strengthened at points of entry and within the public health system as a precautionary step.