WHO Warns Conflict, Mistrust Are Hindering Ebola Response
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the epicenter lies in Ituri Province, a conflict-hit area where nearly five million people live amid persistent insecurity and a severe humanitarian crisis. Ongoing attacks are forcing civilians to flee alongside health...
The World Health Organization is sounding the alarm over a rapidly deteriorating Ebola situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, warning that relentless violence and a deepening humanitarian emergency are undermining efforts to contain the virus.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the epicenter lies in Ituri Province, a conflict-hit area where nearly five million people live amid persistent insecurity and a severe humanitarian crisis. Ongoing attacks are forcing civilians to flee alongside health and aid workers, he noted.
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He said the disruption is severely impeding efforts to scale up Ebola contact tracing and to spot new infections early enough to deliver supportive care.
Although response operations are being intensified with health partners on the ground, Tedros cautioned that additional cases are likely to emerge in the coming weeks.
The outbreak, linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, has also crossed borders. In neighboring Uganda, authorities have confirmed two more infections among healthcare workers, bringing the country’s total to seven confirmed cases and one death.
