Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo

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On 17 July 2019, the Director-General convened the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR) to review the situation on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It was the fourth time the Director-General convened the Committee for this event since the declaration of the outbreak in August 2018 (previous meetings were held in October 2018, April 2019, and June 2019). The Director-General accepted the Emergency Committee’s recommendation that the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The decision was based on the recent developments in the outbreak, including the geographical expansion of the virus. The declaration of the PHEIC is not a reflection on the performance of the response team but rather a measure that recognizes the possible increased national and regional risks and the need for intensified and coordinated action to manage them. The Committee and WHO do not recommend any restrictions on travel or trade, which can hamper the fight against Ebola by affecting the movement of people and supplies. Further information, including temporary recommendations advised by the Emergency Committee, is available in the statement, speech by WHO Director General, and news release.

The outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in North Kivu and Ituri provinces continued this past week with similar transmission intensity to recent weeks. While the stability of the transmission intensity of the outbreak is an indication of the strong response efforts to limit local transmission in affected health zones, the spread of EVD into new geographical areas and continued insecurity in the affected regions continue to complicate the control of the outbreak.

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