By Mapaballo Borotho
- The World Health Organisation has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a public health emergency after hundreds of suspected cases and more than 80 deaths were reported.
- Health experts warn that Ebola can be fatal in up to 90% of cases without proper treatment.
- South African health officials say the risk of the virus spreading locally remains low, with no confirmed cases currently reported in the country.
The World Health Organisation has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a public health emergency following more than 300 suspected cases and over 80 deaths.
One confirmed case has also been reported in neighbouring Uganda.
This marks the 17th recorded Ebola outbreak in the DRC since the virus was first identified in 1976.
According to Doctors Without Borders (MSF), without timely and appropriate care, the highly infectious haemorrhagic fever can be fatal in up to 90% of cases.
The virus is transmitted to humans through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals. Human-to-human transmission occurs through close contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals.
Back home, there are currently no confirmed cases or outbreaks of Ebola Virus Disease in South Africa. The country has only recorded one imported case, in 1996, which was successfully contained.
Despite the recent flare-up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, health officials maintain that the risk of an outbreak spreading to South Africa remains low.
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