JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday raised Congo’s national risk assessment to “very high” – although global risks remain “low”.
So far, 82 cases and seven deaths have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but WHO says the true scale of the outbreak is likely much larger, with nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths reported.
That epidemic This comes amid increased fighting, mass displacement, and deep distrust of outside authorities, fueled by rumors and misinformation.
A hospital in Ituri province was set on fire Thursday by angry relatives after authorities refused to release the bodies of deceased family members, fearing contamination, according to reports.
How the UN system responded
- WHO picked up Ebola risk in Congo “very high”; regional risks remain “high” and global risks “low”
- WHO deployed 22 international staff; UNICEF sent an emergency response team to Bunia.
- Health team supports contact tracing, point of care, risk communication, and community engagement
- The UN aid chief allocated up to $60 million for the response in Congo and neighboring countries; WHO spent $3.9 million
- WHO and Africa CDC established a continental incident management support team
- MONUSCO airlifted nearly 30 tonnes of emergency supplies – including medicines, tents and protective equipment
- The UN peacekeeping mission also operates air bridges and deploys vehicles to strengthen logistics
- WHO and partners prepare clinical trials for an experimental Ebola treatment and a potential vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain.
- Red Cross volunteers conducted door-to-door awareness campaigns and mobilize safe and dignified burial procedures
Read more about epidemic here and about Ebola symptoms And prevention here.
Two cases in Uganda
Two cases – linked to travel from Congo – have been confirmed in Uganda, including one death.
Two American citizens – including a doctor and another person described as a “high-risk contact” – have been transferred to Europe for treatment or monitoring.
This outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no vaccine or approved therapy. Only two outbreaks of this virus have ever been recorded – in Uganda in 2007 and Congo in 2012.
Conflict complicates response
The outbreak occurred in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, regions long hit by armed violence and humanitarian crises.
“In the two provinces, around four million people need urgent humanitarian assistance, two million people are displaced and ten million people face acute hunger,Tedros said.
Fighting has intensified in recent months, displacing more than 100,000 people and hampering health operations.
Emergency $60 million allocated
Also on Friday, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher announced an allocation of up to $60 million from the organization Central Emergency Response Fund to support the response in Congo and neighboring countries.
“This is a difficult operating environment for life-saving work,” said Mr. Fletcher. “We face high levels of conflict and population displacement.”
He stressed the importance of securing access for frontline workers, including in areas controlled by armed groups. “The important thing is that there are no obstacles,” he said.
Ituri province (pictured) in eastern Congo is one of the worst affected areas.
Allegations of ‘artificial’ Ebola
Aid agencies stressed that misinformation and distrust could undermine efforts to contain the outbreak.
Gabriela Arenas from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said many communities were still traumatized by the previous Ebola epidemic.
“They remember the fear. They remembered the rumors that spread to the villages,he told reporters in Geneva from Nairobi. “They remember their neighbors disappearing into treatment centers.”
Although many residents are seeking information and treatment, others still believe “that Ebola is just a fabrication,” he said.
IFRC said Red Cross volunteers have been making house-to-house visits in affected areas to share information and support safe and dignified burials.
“During an Ebola outbreak, public trust and acceptance can be the difference between control and wider transmission.Ms. said Arenas.
Women are most at risk
The social dynamics driving transmission could result in women being disproportionately affected, as happened in previous Ebola outbreaks, several agencies warn.
“Women are more likely to be infected,” said Sofia Calltorp, UN Women‘s Head of Humanitarian Action.
During the 2018-2019 Ebola outbreak in Congo, women and girls accounted for about two-thirds of reported cases.
“This is because Ebola transmission follows social realities,” Calltorp said. “The virus spreads through caregiving, domestic work, frontline health work, and burial practices.”
Pregnant women face particular risks, he added, while quarantine could increase gender-based violence.
A WHO staff member at the agency’s response center in Nairobi prepares emergency supplies to be flown to areas affected by the Ebola outbreak in Congo.
Containment efforts are intensifying
WHO said it had deployed 22 international staff to the field and released $3.9 million from its emergency fundwhile a continental incident management team is being established together with the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency and its partners are also accelerating work on experimental vaccines and therapies for the Bundibugyo strain.
Tedros said a WHO research advisory group had recommended prioritizing two monoclonal antibodies for clinical trials, along with testing the antiviral drug obeldesivir for high-risk contacts.
He also underlined the importance of restoring self-confidence.
“Building trust in affected communities is critical to the success of the response, and is one of our top priorities.he said.
