WHO FLAGS HIGH EBOLA RISK IN DRC

Why in the News?

● WHO Assessment: World Health Organization assessed the Ebola outbreak risk in the Democratic Republic of Congo as high at national and regional levels.

● Rising Cases: The outbreak has reported 51 confirmed cases along with hundreds of suspected infections and deaths.

● Emergency Status: WHO clarified that the outbreak currently does not meet the threshold for a global pandemic emergency.

KEY DETAILS OF THE OUTBREAK

●  Affected Region: The outbreak is concentrated in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially Ituri and North Kivu provinces.

●  Suspected Spread: Nearly 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths have been reported.

●  Possible Origin: WHO experts believe the outbreak may have started several months earlier, with ex post facto analysis suggesting delayed detection.

●  Regional Concern: Cross-border transmission risks remain significant because of regional movement and weak healthcare systems requiring environmental clearances for rapid infrastructure development.

●  Global Risk: Despite regional severity, WHO currently considers the worldwide risk to be low.

ROLE OF WHO IN OUTBREAK MANAGEMENT

●  Global Monitoring: WHO monitors disease outbreaks and assesses international public health risks following the precautionary principle.

●  Emergency Coordination: It supports countries through technical guidance, surveillance and response coordination, promoting environmental democracy in health governance.

●  Risk Communication: WHO issues alerts and advisories to strengthen preparedness among member states.

●  Health Support: The organisation assists in vaccination drives, laboratory testing and outbreak containment while ensuring a pollution free environment in healthcare facilities.

●  International Cooperation: WHO promotes coordinated global action during health emergencies.

EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE ●  Discovery: Ebola virus was first identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in Africa. ●  Zoonotic Nature: The disease is believed to originate from animals, particularly fruit bats, highlighting the importance of the forest conservation act in preventing habitat destruction. ●  Affected Regions: Ebola outbreaks occur mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa. ●  Symptoms: Common symptoms include fever, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhoea and internal or external bleeding. ●  Fatality Rate: Ebola outbreaks often record very high case fatality rates if untreated. ●  Public Health Challenge: Weak healthcare systems and delayed detection increase outbreak severity, requiring post facto environmental impact assessment of healthcare infrastructure. ●  UPSC Syllabus: GS-II — Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health.