An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed more than 80 people, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare it an international public health emergency. According to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 88 deaths and 336 suspected infections have been reported so far. The WHO said the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola and has been classified under the second-highest alert level, though it has not yet been declared a pandemic emergency.

Health authorities confirmed the outbreak in Ituri province near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan. The first identified patient was a nurse who showed Ebola-like symptoms on April 24 in Bunia, the provincial capital. The Congolese health minister stated that there is no vaccine or specific treatment for this strain, and the fatality rate could reach 50 percent. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders described the situation as extremely concerning and is preparing a large-scale emergency response.

The WHO warned that the true number of infections and the geographic spread remain uncertain, raising fears that the situation could be more severe than currently known.