The World Health Organization (WHO) says the Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda poses high risks at the national and regional levels, but it does not meet the threshold for a “pandemic emergency.” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reports that the risks are “high” for countries in the affected area, while the risk at the global level is “low.” Multiple outlets cite WHO’s assessment that the outbreak is serious locally and regionally, even as WHO does not classify it as a global emergency requiring pandemic-level action. They also note that WHO’s emergency committee has not determined that current conditions warrant escalation to a pandemic emergency status. Overall, the sources agree that WHO is distinguishing between localized transmission risk and the likelihood of widespread international spread. The organization’s position means WHO is treating the situation as a significant public health challenge for the affected region, while maintaining that it is not, at present, a global pandemic emergency.