The International Ebola Emergency

Immediate priorities for control of the ongoing Ebola epidemic are early diagnosis, patient isolation, contact tracing, strict adherence to laboratory biosafety guidelines, barrier nursing procedures, use of personal protective equipment by clinicians, and safe burials. On August 8, 33 weeks into the longest, largest, and most widespread Ebola outbreak on record, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the epidemic to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). This declaration was not made lightly. A PHEIC is an instrument of the International Health Regulations (IHR) — a legally binding agreement made by 196 countries on containment of major international health threats. The August 8 statement made by WHO Director-General Margaret Chan followed advice from the independent IHR Emergency Committee. Reviewing all the available evidence, the committee concluded that further international spread of Ebola could . . .