United Nations, July 10 (IANS). UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher has appealed for immediate action to stop Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and surrounding areas.
“We need to act fast to break the back of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ituri province remains the epicenter of the outbreak, but the virus is also spreading to other provinces, where conflict and continued movement of people increases the risk of further spread,” Fletcher said in a statement Thursday.
Since the outbreak was declared on May 15, more than 1,700 people have been infected in the DRC and 600 have died, he said. 20 cases have also been confirmed in Uganda.
DRC Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said Thursday in Bunia, the capital of eastern Ituri province, that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the DRC is still in the “very active” phase, Xinhua news agency reported. Bunia itself is the center of this outbreak.
Citing high population density, frequent movement of people and local factors that make it difficult to connect communities, Kamba said it was too early to tell when the outbreak would peak.
“This is more than just a public health emergency,” Fletcher said. He said that even before the Ebola outbreak, millions of people were facing conflict, hunger, displacement, weak basic services and limited health facilities.
He said that the United Nations is increasing its efforts to deal with Ebola and other people/organizations also need to work with equal speed.
Fletcher said, “All parties must ensure safe and continuous access for humanitarian and health workers, essential supplies and relief equipment. Borders and supply routes must remain open. Donors must ensure that pledged funds reach relief workers quickly and easily. We must support both Ebola response efforts and the larger humanitarian response on which vulnerable communities depend.”
The DRC’s Ministry of Communications and Media posted the latest information on social media X on Thursday, reporting 1,792 confirmed cases and 625 deaths. A total of 764 patients are currently in isolation or hospital, while 295 patients have recovered. The overall mortality rate was 34.1 percent.
–IANS
PIM/AS