The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighbouring Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), citing rising cases, cross-border transmission and uncertainty about the scale of the epidemic.
The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, has already resulted in hundreds of suspected cases and at least 80 deaths, with confirmed infections reported in both countries, including in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, among travellers from the DRC.
Despite the global alert, the immediate risk to Tonga and the wider Pacific region remains very low. Health authorities note that Ebola outbreaks are typically geographically contained, with the highest risk limited to affected regions and neighbouring countries in Africa.
Unlike airborne diseases such as COVID‑19, Ebola does not spread through the air. It is transmitted only through direct contact with bodily fluids of an infected person, usually when symptoms are already present.
This makes widespread international transmission significantly harder.
New Zealand health guidance further emphasises that Ebola poses little risk to the general public and travellers, with the main danger linked to direct exposure in outbreak zones or healthcare settings without proper protection.
The WHO has not recommended international travel or trade restrictions, but has urged countries to strengthen surveillance, preparedness and public health response systems.
For Pacific nations, including Tonga, the main potential pathway would be imported cases through international travel, though this risk is considered low due to limited direct travel links with affected regions and screening measures at borders.
