KINSHASA, DR Congo (AFP) — An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) believed to have killed more than 90 people has been declared an international health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO).

There is no vaccine or specific treatment for the strain responsible for the current outbreak of the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever which has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa in the last 50 years.

Deaths

Ninety-one reported deaths are suspected to have been caused by the current outbreak, according to the latest figures released on Sunday by Congolese Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba.

Around 350 suspected cases have been reported. Most of those affected are aged between 20 and 39, and more than 60 per cent are women.

Few samples have been tested in a laboratory to date, and the reports are based mainly on suspected cases.

The centre of the outbreak is north-eastern Ituri province, which borders Uganda and South Sudan. The gold-rich region sees intense daily population mobility linked to mining activities.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa) has warned of a high risk of spread to eastern African countries that border the DRC.

On Sunday the WHO declared the outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern” — the second-highest level of alert under international health regulations.

No vaccine

The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no vaccine or specific treatment is available.

Steps to curb its spread rely on adherence to protective measures and detecting cases quickly to limit contact.

Existing vaccines against Ebola are only effective for the Zaire strain of the virus, which is responsible for the largest recorded outbreaks.

The Bundibugyo strain has previously been responsible for two outbreaks — in Uganda in 2007 and in the DRC in 2012. The mortality rate was 30 to 50 per cent.