UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Why has the WHO declared a PHEIC over Ebola outbreak?
Q1. The power of the WHO Director-General to determine and declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is derived from which one of the following?
- A. The Constitution of the World Health Organization, 1948
- B. The International Health Regulations (IHR), 2005
- C. The WHO Pandemic Agreement adopted by the World Health Assembly
- D. The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, 2003
Q2. Under the International Health Regulations (2005), once a PHEIC is in force, the Emergency Committee must be reconvened to review the situation at least once every how many months?
- A. Every 1 month
- B. Every 3 months
- C. Every 6 months
- D. Every 12 months
Q3. Which one of the following is regarded as the natural reservoir host of ebolaviruses?
- A. Fruit bats of the family Pteropodidae
- B. Female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes
- C. Domestic pigs and poultry
- D. Hard ticks of the family Ixodidae
Q4. The formal taxonomic classification and naming of virus species, including the recognized species of the genus Orthoebolavirus (Ebolavirus), is undertaken by which one of the following bodies?
- A. The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV)
- B. The WHO IHR Emergency Committee
- C. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
- D. The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)
Q5. In the 2026 Bundibugyo virus outbreak, which one of the following best describes how the disease reached Uganda?
- A. Infected individuals imported from the DRC, followed by limited secondary transmission among contacts and health workers
- B. Cross-border trade in contaminated bushmeat sold in Ugandan markets
- C. Migration of infected fruit bat colonies from Ituri into western Uganda
- D. An adverse event following mass Ebola vaccination on the Ugandan border
Q6. With reference to the 2026 Ebola outbreak that led to a PHEIC, consider the following statements:
1. The outbreak was concentrated in Ituri Province of northeastern DRC.
2. The WHO Director-General declared it a PHEIC on 17 May 2026.
3. Mongbwalu and Rwampara were among the affected health zones.
4. Laboratory analysis confirmed the causative agent as Zaire ebolavirus.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- The outbreak was concentrated in Ituri Province of northeastern DRC.
- The WHO Director-General declared it a PHEIC on 17 May 2026.
- Mongbwalu and Rwampara were among the affected health zones.
- Laboratory analysis confirmed the causative agent as Zaire ebolavirus.
- A. 1 and 4
- B. 4 only
- C. 2 and 3
- D. 3 and 4
Q7. With reference to the history of WHO PHEIC declarations, consider the following statements:
1. The 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic was the first event declared a PHEIC under the IHR (2005).
2. The poliovirus PHEIC declared in 2014 is the longest-standing PHEIC and remains in effect.
3. COVID-19 was the very first disease ever to be declared a PHEIC by the WHO.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic was the first event declared a PHEIC under the IHR (2005).
- The poliovirus PHEIC declared in 2014 is the longest-standing PHEIC and remains in effect.
- COVID-19 was the very first disease ever to be declared a PHEIC by the WHO.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q8. As defined under the International Health Regulations (2005), a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is best described as:
- A. An extraordinary event that constitutes a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and potentially requires a coordinated international response
- B. Any disease outbreak that causes more than one thousand confirmed deaths in a single calendar year
- C. An outbreak confined to a single WHO region that requires only a regional response
- D. A pandemic formally declared by a resolution of the World Health Assembly
Q9. As of 2026, the licensed rVSV-ZEBOV (Ervebo) vaccine provides protection against which single ebolavirus species?
- A. Zaire ebolavirus
- B. Bundibugyo virus
- C. Sudan virus
- D. Taï Forest virus
Q10. Out of the six recognized ebolavirus species, how many currently have a licensed (WHO-prequalified) vaccine as of May 2026?
- A. None
- B. One
- C. Three
- D. All six
Q11. With reference to the World Health Organization and India, consider the following statements:
1. WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations, founded in 1948 and headquartered in Geneva.
2. India is a member state of WHO and, like all members, is bound by the notification obligations of the IHR (2005).
3. The World Health Assembly, WHO's main decision-making body, meets biennially and appoints the Director-General.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations, founded in 1948 and headquartered in Geneva.
- India is a member state of WHO and, like all members, is bound by the notification obligations of the IHR (2005).
- The World Health Assembly, WHO's main decision-making body, meets biennially and appoints the Director-General.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 and 3 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q12. With reference to the 2024 mpox emergency declarations, consider the following statements:
1. In August 2024, Africa CDC declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS).
2. This 2024 mpox PHECS was the first-ever continental-security declaration made by Africa CDC.
3. The WHO declared mpox a PHEIC in August 2024, one day after the Africa CDC declaration.
4. A PHECS, like a PHEIC, is formally declared by the WHO Director-General under the IHR (2005).
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- In August 2024, Africa CDC declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS).
- This 2024 mpox PHECS was the first-ever continental-security declaration made by Africa CDC.
- The WHO declared mpox a PHEIC in August 2024, one day after the Africa CDC declaration.
- A PHECS, like a PHEIC, is formally declared by the WHO Director-General under the IHR (2005).
- A. 1, 2 and 3
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4
- D. 1, 2 and 4