Recently, we touched on the latest outbreak of the Ebola disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo, noting that the early reports had already seen over 60 people killed from the virus while an additional 246 cases were reported. In the days that have followed, the outbreak seems to be spreading, as now BBC News notes that 131 people have died from the disease and a further 513 cases have been reported.
This situation and the concerning spread has caused the World Health Organization to actively refer to the outbreak as an international emergency. The most concerning element of the outbreak is that it has already crossed borders, with Uganda now confirming a death from Ebola and two additional cases.
For those fearful of disease epidemics, it should be said that the relevant authorities and governments are currently engaged in tracing and investigations to determine the source of the outbreak while also identifying anyone who could be a carrier and may be contributing to Ebola's spread.
There have been reports of international doctors contracting the disease too, with many of these individuals soon to be transferred to facilities in Germany to ensure they are treated properly and do not spread the disease globally.