The World Health Organization on Sunday declared the worsening Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring Uganda a global health emergency as the number of suspected infections and deaths continues to rise.

Health officials say more than 300 suspected cases have been identified so far, with at least 88 reported deaths linked to the outbreak.

According to the W.H.O., the outbreak centered in eastern Congo’s Ituri province does not currently meet the threshold for classification as a pandemic emergency, though the agency said that possibility has not been ruled out, according to the BBC.

The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there are presently no approved vaccines or treatments, the agency said.

Initial symptoms of the disease include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headaches and sore throat, followed later by vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes and internal or external bleeding, according to the BBC report.

The W.H.O. said eight cases have been laboratory confirmed thus far, while additional suspected infections and deaths have been reported across three health zones, including Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, as well as the gold-mining communities of Mongwalu and Rwampara.

One confirmed case has also been detected in Kinshasa, Congo’s capital city, involving a patient believed to have recently traveled from Ituri province.

Over the past five decades, Ebola outbreaks across Africa have claimed approximately 15,000 lives.

The deadliest outbreak in Congo occurred between 2018 and 2020, when nearly 2,300 people died from the virus.

Another outbreak last year in a remote region of Congo resulted in 45 deaths.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids including blood, vomit and semen. While infections are relatively rare, the illness is highly contagious, severe and frequently fatal, according to the Associated Press.

The W.H.O. said its emergency declaration is intended to mobilize international aid organizations and governments into taking action. Under the agency’s guidelines, such a declaration signifies that the situation is serious, poses a risk of spreading internationally, and requires a coordinated global response, the AP reported.

{Matzav.com}