WHO statement on the meeting of the IHR (2005) Emergency Committee for EVD in the DRC

On 12 February 2020, a meeting of the Emergency Committee was convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, under the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005), to review the current Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

As of 10 February 2020, a total of 3,431 cases were reported, of which 3,308 were confirmed and 123 were probable, with 2,253 (66%) deaths. Between 3 and 9 February 2020, three new confirmed cases were reported in Beni Health Zone, North Kivu.

It was the unanimous view of the committee that the outbreak still constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the IHR (2005). The committee acknowledged the revised risk assessment, which puts the risk as high at national and regional levels, and low at the global level.

Further information on EVD can be accessed via the TRAVAX (for health professionals) and fitfortravel (for the general public) websites.

Source: WHO, 12 February 2020