international
What is Ebola and why is stopping this outbreak so difficult?
Key takeaways
- Dealing with this outbreak is difficult as it involves a rare strain for which there is no vaccine and the cases have been found in an area affected by conflict.
- Ebola is a rare but deadly disease caused by a virus.
- Ebola viruses normally infect animals, typically fruit bats, but outbreaks among humans can sometimes start when people eat or handle infected animals.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
James Gallagher,Health and science correspondent,Emery Makumeno,BBC Africa, Kinshasaand Hafsa Khalil Getty Images An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been declared a public health emergency of international concern, by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dealing with this outbreak is difficult as it involves a rare strain for which there is no vaccine and the cases have been found in an area affected by conflict.
Ebola is a rare but deadly disease caused by a virus.
Article preview — originally published by BBC World. Full story at the source.
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