International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geneva, October 16, 2018 :                                                                                           Representational Image

WHO Director – General , Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has convened an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee  on Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Committee will meet on 17 October in Geneva to ascertain whether the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, and what recommendations should be made to manage the outbreak.

On 1 August 2018, the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in North Kivu Province. This is the  tenth outbreak of Ebola virus disease over the last four decades in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the most recent occurring in May 2018.
Ministry of Health, WHO and partners have teams on the ground responding to the outbreak.

On 28 September 2018, based on the worsening security situation, WHO revised its risk assessment for the outbreak, elevating the risk at national and regional levels from high to very high. The risk remains low globally. WHO continues to advise against any restriction of travel to, and trade with, the Democratic Republic of the Congo based on currently available information.

Based on the current situation and information available, the WHO Director-General has convened an Emergency Committee under the IHR (2005) to provide advice on whether the current outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, and what recommendations should be made to manage the outbreak.