The World Health Organization has escalated concerns over the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, officially classifying the situation as a global health emergency following its spread to major urban centres in both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

Originally detected in Ituri Province in northeastern Congo, the outbreak has now reached the capitals—Kinshasa and Kampala—raising fears of wider transmission in densely populated areas. Health authorities report 246 suspected infections and 80 deaths so far, though only a handful of cases have been laboratory confirmed.

The WHO warned that the official figures may significantly underestimate the true scale of the outbreak. Early testing suggests a concerning positivity rate, indicating that the virus could already be circulating beyond identified hotspotsDescribing the situation as a “public health emergency of international concern,” the agency highlighted gaps in surveillance and uncertainties about how far the virus has spread geographically.In response, health officials in both countries are intensifying monitoring, testing, and containment measures in a race to prevent further escalation. The development underscores growing fears that the outbreak could evolve into a broader regional crisis if not swiftly controlled.