The United Nations, UN says it is urgently deploying emergency personnel, funding, and medical supplies to eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in response to the rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak affecting conflict-hit provinces.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday upgraded the national risk level for DRC to “very high,” while maintaining that the global threat remains “low.”
So far, DRC has confirmed 82 Ebola cases and seven deaths, but WHO warned that the actual scale of the outbreak could be much worse.
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The agency reported nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher announced a 60-million-dollar allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund to strengthen response efforts in DRC and neighbouring countries.
“These are extremely difficult conditions for carrying out lifesaving operations,” Fletcher said, citing ongoing conflict and large-scale population movement.
Unhindered Access
He also stressed the need for unhindered access for frontline health workers, including in territories controlled by armed groups.
WHO noted that the outbreak is worsening amid escalating violence, mass displacement, and growing distrust of authorities, fuelled by misinformation and rumours.
In Ituri Province, a hospital was reportedly set ablaze on Thursday by angry relatives after officials refused to release the body of a deceased family member due to fears of Ebola contamination.
Meanwhile, two Ebola cases linked to travel from DRC have been confirmed in Uganda, including one fatality.
Two American citizens, a doctor and another person identified as a high-risk contact have also been transferred to Europe for treatment and monitoring.
WHO confirmed that the outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no approved vaccines or treatments currently exist.
Only two previous outbreaks of this strain have ever been recorded: one in Uganda in 2007 and another in DRC in 2012.
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