WHO declares public health emergency for Ebola

The World Health Organization May 17 declared a public health emergency of international concern due to an Ebola outbreak. The WHO said that as of May 16, there have been eight confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths from an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Two cases have also been confirmed in Uganda. The agency said the outbreak does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency, but said a high positivity rate and increasing reports of suspected cases and deaths indicate “a potentially much larger outbreak than what is currently being detected and reported.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Homeland Security have implemented enhanced travel screening, entry restrictions and other public health measures in an attempt to prevent Ebola spread in the U.S.