BRUSSELS — The risk of an Ebola infection spreading within the European Union remains “very low,” a spokeswoman for the bloc said on Wednesday, even as the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a spiraling outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo an international health emergency.
Eva Hrncirova, the EU spokeswoman, told reporters that while diseases do not respect borders, there is currently no indication that European citizens need to take precautions beyond standard public health advice. She emphasized that the EU is doing “everything” in its power to support the affected central African region.
The outbreak, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, has already claimed over 130 lives and is alarming experts due to its undetected spread over several weeks through a densely populated area plagued by armed conflict.
Emergency Airlift and Missing Vaccine
To combat the escalating health crisis, the EU is mobilizing a humanitarian air bridge to deliver essential supplies. “We will soon deliver essential material to DRC, medicines, protective material, infection control material, and some tents,” Hrncirova stated.
Unlike the devastating 2018-2020 outbreak of the Zaire strain, which killed nearly 2,300 people in the same region, there is currently no approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain. The WHO has indicated that two potential vaccines are under consideration, but development and clinical trials could take anywhere from three to nine months. The Bundibugyo strain has an average fatality rate of around 40%, spreading through direct contact with bodily fluids.
A Super-Spreader Event and Cross-Border Spread
WHO officials suspect the outbreak began months ago, with the first suspected death logged on April 20. Investigations point to a significant super-spreading event, likely at a funeral or a healthcare facility, that accelerated transmission. The alert was initially raised via social media reports on May 5, detailing unexplained community deaths. By May 12, an investigation team collected samples, confirming Ebola in eight out of thirteen tests.
The outbreak has now crossed international borders. According to the WHO, 51 cases have been confirmed in Congo’s Ituri and North Kivu provinces. Uganda has reported two confirmed cases in the capital, Kampala, including one fatality among travelers arriving from Congo. Furthermore, a U.S. citizen working in Congo tested positive and has been medically evacuated to Germany for treatment.
As the international community scrambles to contain the virus without a readily available vaccine, health authorities are focusing on contact tracing and isolation to prevent a wider catastrophe.
