A WHO expert committee had previously declined make the declaration despite the death of a boy in neighbouring Uganda back in June.

WHO declare DRC Ebola outbreak international health emergency

The boy, part of a Congolese family who crossed into Uganda earlier in the week, was vomiting blood and died overnight, said officials. 

Fears grow as DRC's Ebola epidemic spreads to Uganda, killing five-year-old

The outbreak in the DRC is the second largest in history and efforts to sweep the virus are on the brink of failure.

The virus has infected and killed 1,367 people as of June 5 2019, according to Public Health England.

The DRC is in the grip of the worst Ebola outbreak it has ever seen. More than 500 people have been infected and more than 300 have died.

The World Health Organisation now calls the risk to the public in Congo ‘very high’ and the regional risk ‘high’.

Officials from the World Health Organisation are in the area to help contain the outbreak’s spread.

The World Health Organization says at least two people have died and 416 others are feared to have been exposed to the virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed a second case of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and suspects 17 others.

One person has died after testing positive for the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Pauline Cafferkey said it is a "good thing psychologically" for her to go back to the place where she contracted the killer virus in 2014. 

Scottish nurse Pauline Cafferkey said she hopes the fundraising trip in May will help to bring "closure" after a "terrible couple of years".

The aid worker concealed Pauline Cafferkey's raised temperature before she tested positive for Ebola.


A specialist UK team of health experts has been set up to respond to global disease outbreaks within 48 hours.


It is the fourth time nurse Pauline Cafferkey - who contracted the Ebola virus - has been admitted to hospital. 