DRC Ebola Outbreak Declared Emergency

An Ebola outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization. Nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths have been recorded in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with two confirmed cases in neighboring Uganda. The Democratic Republic of the Congo — Ituri Province government has banned funeral wakes and limited public gatherings to curb transmission, following clashes between residents and police over a victim's body. Unsafe burial practices are a major driver of the virus's spread. The World Health Organization has raised its risk assessment for the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 'very high'. Rwanda has imposed travel restrictions on foreign nationals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and mandated quarantines for its own citizens, while the United States has also restricted travel from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. The United Nations is releasing $60 million for the response. The presence of armed groups like the March 23 Movement in affected areas, which has suspended public transport, complicates containment efforts and humanitarian aid delivery.