Geneva, May 20 (SANA) World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday that 600 suspected Ebola cases and 139 suspected deaths linked to the virus had been recorded, warning that the numbers could rise because the outbreak had spread for some time before being detected.
Tedros said the WHO Emergency Committee met Tuesday in Geneva and confirmed that the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola constituted a public health emergency of international concern, but not a global health emergency, according to Reuters.
The emergency declaration announced over the weekend marked the first time a WHO chief had taken such a step without first consulting experts, citing the seriousness of the outbreak.
The latest outbreak comes amid recurring efforts to contain Ebola in Central and East Africa. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has experienced multiple Ebola outbreaks over the past decade, while neighboring Uganda has also faced periodic flare-ups linked to cross-border transmission and regional movement.
R.D/ABD
