The World Health Organization's emergency committee again ruled that the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak is not an international emergency, reports CIDRAP News.
Three things to know:
1. The emergency committee first met in October 2018 and decidedthe outbreak did not constitute a public health emergency of international concern. The agency maintained this decision after reconvening April 12.
"Although we have great concern about rising numbers in some regions, the outbreak has not spread internationally over many months," emergency committee head Robert Steffen, PhD, said during a press conference, according to CIDRAP News. "There is no added benefit to [a] PHEIC, as excellent work is being done on the ground by WHO and its partner organizations.
2. WHO leaders noted their recommendation against declaring an international emergency should not be taken as a sign of complacency toward outbreak response efforts.
3. As of April 13, health officials reported 1,251 confirmed and probable Ebola infections linked to the outbreak, including 803 deaths.
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