Global health experts have warned that deadly infectious diseases such as Ebola and hantavirus are becoming more frequent, harder to contain and increasingly damaging to public health systems, as the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern.”
The warning comes amid growing fears across Africa and other regions following a fresh Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo that has already claimed dozens of lives and spread across borders into Uganda.
Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo said at least 80 deaths have been linked to the outbreak in Ituri Province, where communities are now reporting near-daily burials and widespread fear among residents.
The WHO said the outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a less common but dangerous variant of the virus. Officials confirmed that the disease has already crossed into neighbouring Uganda after an infected patient died in Kampala following travel from Congo.
The latest development has intensified concerns among public health specialists who say the world is entering a period where zoonotic diseases, infections transmitted from animals to humans, are emerging more often due to climate change, environmental disruption, global travel and weak health systems.
Experts noted that recent outbreaks involving Ebola, hantavirus, Marburg virus and other infectious diseases show how rapidly local health emergencies can become regional or global threats.
“The pattern is becoming more alarming,” a public health analyst familiar with disease surveillance in Africa said. “Outbreaks are occurring more frequently, and fragile healthcare systems are struggling to respond quickly enough.”
The WHO has already urged countries to heighten surveillance, strengthen border screening and improve emergency preparedness, particularly in Africa where health infrastructure remains under pressure from conflict, poverty and underfunding.
In Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said it has intensified monitoring efforts following the Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, assured Nigerians that no Ebola case has been confirmed in the country but said authorities were maintaining heightened vigilance due to increased regional movement across African borders.
“NCDC is closely monitoring the situation and working with relevant stakeholders to ensure continued vigilance and preparedness within the public health system,” Idris stated.
The agency advised Nigerians to observe strict hygiene practices, avoid contact with bodily fluids of sick persons and report unusual illnesses promptly to health facilities.
Meanwhile, global attention has also shifted toward the growing hantavirus scare linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius, where multiple passengers contracted the Andes strain of the virus during a voyage from Argentina.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned countries to prepare for more hantavirus cases because of the virus’s long incubation period and the high level of interaction among passengers before preventive measures were introduced onboard.
Although hantavirus outbreaks remain relatively rare, health experts say the recent cases demonstrate how quickly infectious diseases can spread internationally through modern travel.
Analysts say African countries remain particularly vulnerable because outbreaks often emerge in regions affected by armed conflict, displacement, weak healthcare systems and poor sanitation.
In Congo’s Ituri Province, where the Ebola outbreak is concentrated, ongoing violence by armed groups has complicated emergency response operations and limited access to remote communities.
Public health advocates are now calling for stronger international investment in disease surveillance, vaccine development, laboratory capacity and rapid response systems across Africa.
The WHO warned that without sustained global cooperation and early containment measures, future outbreaks could become even more disruptive than recent epidemics experienced around the world.
As health workers race to contain Ebola in Central Africa and monitor the spread of hantavirus internationally, experts say the world is receiving another stark reminder that infectious diseases remain one of the greatest global security threats of the modern era.
