Summary
The World Health Organization (WHO) is giving an update after it declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern – watch live above
There have been more than 390 suspected cases and at least 100 reported deaths, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention
The WHO previously said the outbreak did not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency, but warned it could be “much larger” than what’s been detected so far
The strain of Ebola is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved drugs or vaccines
In a speech, the WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is also expected to address a hantavirus outbreak onboard a cruise ship – here’s the latest
Assembly now discussing session agenda
Victor Atallah Lajam, president of the World Health Assembly, is speaking about the health challenges facing the world and possible solutions.
He says global health is not measured in documents, but in lives, and urges attendees to make this assembly a “historic moment” for humanity.
Delegates are now discussing the agenda for the session.
After this, we expect an update on Ebola and hantavirus from WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
WHO assembly session gets under way
The World Health Assembly session has started.
Right now, Victor Atallah Lajam, president of the assembly, is speaking.
Next, we’ll hear from WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
You can follow our updates here or watch live at the top of this page.
Increasing number of Ebola cases ‘biggest worry’ for Africa health body
While we wait for Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to speak, here’s a comment from the director general of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, who has just spoken to BBC News.
Jean Kaseya says his biggest worry is the increasing number of cases of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
“Now we have at least 395 suspected cases, if I combine the two countries,” Kaseya says. The vast majority of these are in DR Congo as only two cases have been reported so far in Uganda.
“We have more than 100 people already passed on, and we don’t have a vaccine, we don’t have medicine available to support.”
“This is my biggest worry because we need to see how to stop the transmission and we are working with the government of DRC and the government of Uganda to stop the transmission of this outbreak.”
He says he believes that with all the mechanisms being put in place, this can happen “very quickly”.
