WHO Declares Ebola Emergency in DR Congo as Rare Strain Spreads

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak a public health emergency. The outbreak is in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A Public Health Emergency

Dealing with it is very difficult. The outbreak involves a rare strain of Ebola. There is no vaccine for this strain. Cases have also been found in an area affected by conflict.
What Is Ebola? Ebola is a rare but deadly disease. It is caused by a virus. The virus normally infects animals, especially fruit bats. Outbreaks among humans can start when people eat or handle infected animals.

Symptoms and Spread

Symptoms take two to 21 days to appear. They come on suddenly. Fever, headache, and tiredness appear first. They feel like the flu. As the disease gets worse, vomiting and diarrheas’ develop. The disease can lead to organ failure. Some patients develop internal and external bleeding. The virus spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids. These include blood or vomit.