Jakarta, May 18 -- Indonesia's Health Ministry said it is intensifying surveillance and coordination with global health networks after the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

Health Ministry Spokesman Aji Muhawarman said on Monday that the WHO declaration issued on May 17, 2026, underscored the need for global vigilance, though the outbreak has not been classified as a pandemic.

"The declaration reflects cross-border transmission, high mortality rates, and continuing uncertainty over the outbreak's scale and development," Muhawarman said.

The outbreak in Ituri Province, DR Congo, has recorded 246 suspected cases as of May 1...