The Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), a strain of Ebola, is continuing to spread in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring Uganda, with hundreds of infections and more than 100 deaths reported, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded 676 confirmed cases and 136 deaths as of June 10, while Uganda has reported 19 confirmed cases, including two deaths, and one probable fatal case as of June 11, WHO data showed.
Authorities in both countries have stepped up surveillance, contact tracing and the isolation of suspected cases in an effort to contain the outbreak.
Earlier, the World Health Organization declared the escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), amid growing concerns over the spread of the rare Bundibugyo strain. The declaration was made under the provisions of the International Health Regulations (IHR).