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WHO Chief: Ebola Outbreak Can Be Stopped Amidst Fighting
29 May
Summary
- WHO head arrived in DRC to combat the deadly Ebola outbreak.
- Conflict in the affected region hampers critical medical relief efforts.
- WHO recommends clinical trials for new Ebola vaccines and treatments.
The World Health Organization (WHO) head, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated that the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is containable. He arrived in Kinshasa and planned to visit Ituri province, the epicenter of the epidemic, where armed conflict is severely obstructing medical relief efforts. Ghebreyesus made a direct appeal for a ceasefire, highlighting that armed groups fighting over the mineral-rich region are exacerbating the crisis. He stressed that no conflict should lead to preventable deaths.
The WHO has recorded over 1,000 confirmed and suspected cases of Ebola, with 10 confirmed and 223 suspected deaths as of May 24th. The true extent of the outbreak may be wider, as the virus has likely circulated undetected. This marks the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC. Recommendations for clinical trials of vaccines and treatments for the Bundibugyo strain have been made by WHO advisory groups.
Neighboring Uganda has closed its border with the DRC, citing one recorded death and six cases. The United States plans to deny entry to infected individuals and establish a treatment facility for affected U.S. citizens in Kenya, a move met with legal challenges and health system concerns. Aid, including 4.6 tonnes from the WHO and 100 tonnes from UNICEF, is being sent to the DRC.
