World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that there are currently around 600 suspected Ebola cases and 139 probable deaths linked to the virus. He noted that these figures are expected to rise due to the extended period during which the virus had been spreading before the outbreak was officially detected.

Ghebreyesus stated that the WHO Emergency Committee convened in Geneva on Tuesday and concluded that the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern,” though it does not qualify as a pandemic emergency, according to British media reports.

Earlier this week, Ghebreyesus declared the emergency status, marking the first time a WHO Director-General has taken such a measure without prior consultation with external experts, citing the seriousness of the outbreak.

The announcement follows the WHO’s statement last Sunday that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda represents a public health emergency of international concern and poses a potential threat to neighboring countries and the wider international community.

Ebola is a highly infectious virus transmitted from animals to humans. Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, headaches, and sore throat, followed by impaired kidney and liver function. In severe cases, the disease can lead to both internal and external bleeding.