The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in central Africa a global health emergency, as the number of cases continues to grow.
The outbreak began in the Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in late April and has since spread to neighbouring Uganda. As of last week, more than 1,000 suspected and confirmed cases had been recorded, with at least 231 deaths.
This outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which is different from the more common Zaire strain. That makes it harder to contain — there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments for the Bundibugyo strain, unlike for some other Ebola types.
Ebola is a serious disease that spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of someone who is sick. It is not airborne, meaning you cannot catch it by being in the same room as someone.
Ebola outbreaks have occurred many times in central Africa, and the region has experience in dealing with them. Health authorities say the most important tools for stopping the spread are identifying cases quickly, isolating patients, and tracing people who may have been in contact with the virus.
The WHO has not recommended any restrictions on international travel or trade. However, countries near the outbreak have been advised to strengthen border screening and health monitoring.
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