Four things to know:
1. This is the third time the WHO’s emergency committee has refrained from declaring the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
2. The emergency committee’s most recent meeting came just days after Uganda reported two Ebola deaths, marking the first time the outbreak has spread beyond Congo’s borders.
“While the outbreak is an extraordinary event, and there’s risk of international spread, we believe that the ongoing response would not be enhanced” by an emergency declaration, Dr. Preben Aavitsland, acting committee chair, said of the group’s decision, according to Vox.
3. Some health experts argue the current situation in the Congo already warrants an emergency declaration, which would underscore the outbreak’s severity and help the WHO secure more funding for response efforts.
4. As of June 12, the WHO reported 2,108 confirmed and probable cases linked to the outbreak, including 1,411 deaths.
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