The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, the highest alert level. This decision follows the outbreak's spread to major cities such as Kampala in Uganda and Kinshasa in DRC, raising fears of a wider epidemic. As of May 16, health authorities reported 246 suspected cases, eight laboratory-confirmed infections, and 80 suspected deaths in DRC's Ituri province. The outbreak is attributed to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which is rarer and lacks approved vaccines or treatments, complicating containment efforts. The WHO noted that the actual scale of the outbreak may be larger than reported, citing a high positivity rate among tested samples. The agency has urged countries bordering the DRC to activate emergency-response mechanisms and enhance surveillance at border crossings. It also recommended that confirmed cases and high-risk contacts avoid international travel for 21 days post-exposure. Importantly, the WHO cautioned against border closures, as such measures could lead to unmonitored crossings and further spread of the virus.