The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the rapidly growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa could become one of the largest in history after confirmed cases rose sharply to 471 and the death toll reached 84, 24NewsHD TV reported on Sunday.
According to the WHO's latest update, the outbreak has infected 452 people and killed 82 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while neighboring Uganda has reported 19 confirmed cases and two deaths.
Health officials expressed concern after the outbreak recorded an increase of 100 cases and 20 deaths within a single day, highlighting the speed at which the virus is spreading.
The WHO has already declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, citing cross-border transmission and uncertainties over the true scale of infections.
Experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have also warned that, without strong public health measures, the outbreak could grow to a scale similar to the devastating 2014-2016 West African Ebola epidemic, which infected more than 28,000 people and claimed over 11,000 lives.
Ebola spreads through close contact with infected people and their bodily fluids. Health experts estimate that the virus has killed more than 15,000 people across Africa over the past five decades.
The current outbreak, linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, was officially declared in northeastern Congo on May 15.
However, WHO officials believe the disease may have been circulating undetected for weeks, or even months, before it was identified. There is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for this strain.
In response, the WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have launched a $518 million emergency plan for the next six months aimed at strengthening disease surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention, and cross-border preparedness.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said rapid action, sustained funding, and community cooperation would be critical to stopping the outbreak before it spreads further across the region.