WHO to decide on emergency status of Ebola in DR Congo

UN health agency experts meet on Wednesday to decide whether the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo should still be considered a global health emergency, following a sharp decline in reported cases.

The World Health Organisation last July declared it a "public health emergency of international concern" -- a designation that gives the WHO greater powers to restrict travel and boost funding.

The outbreak was first identified in August 2018 and has since killed more than 2,300 people in eastern DR Congo -- an area where several militia groups are operating.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Tuesday said he was "encouraged" by an improvement in the situation, with only three cases reported in the past week.

But he added: "It's not over. Any single case could reignite the epidemic."