The head of the World Health Organization has announced an emergency committee meeting regarding the rapid spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cited over 500 suspected cases in the DRC and 33 confirmed ones, with two confirmed in Uganda. The outbreak has resulted in 131 fatalities.
'I'm deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic,' Tedros said Tuesday.
Concerns grow due to cases in urban centers like Kampala, Uganda, and Goma in the DRC, alongside the conflict-hit Ituri province. The WHO has approved $3.9 million in emergency funding.
The outbreak was declared a public health emergency on Sunday, and the U.S. issued an urgent travel warning for the DRC on Monday.
Officials say the outbreak is caused by the rarer Bundibugyo strain, for which existing vaccines may be less effective. The State Department warns Ebola is a 'rare, severe and often fatal hemorrhagic fever.'
The U.S. government advises against travel to Ituri province, stating it cannot provide emergency services there.