Ebola outbreak (Image credit: AP)

Hours after the Indian government issued a travel advisory asking citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has announced that India has sent emergency medical assistance to Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.In a post on Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, “🇮🇳 sent the first tranche of urgent medical supplies and protective kits to @AfricaCDC today.”Jaishankar also said India is committed to supporting Africa in its response to the emerging Ebola public health emergency.Ebola outbreak spread across central AfricaThe Ebola outbreak in Central Africa continues to grow, with about 867 suspected cases and 204 deaths in Congo as of Saturday, according to the health ministry.The outbreak has now spread to three provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the first confirmed case found in South Kivu.Two Ebola cases, including one death, have also been confirmed in neighboring Uganda following travel by infected individuals from the DRC.WHO declares Ebola a ‘public health emergency’On May 17, 2026, the World Health Organization declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations, 2005.The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no specific vaccine.WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the outbreak as “particularly challenging”, citing ongoing fighting, displacement of people, the makeshift population of miners and significant distrust of external authorities among the local population.