Ebola outbreak: Democratic Republic of Congo faces a double crisis.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing a new wave of Ebola outbreaks, amid the World Health Organization (WHO) raising its risk alert to the highest level, raising concerns about the potential for the disease to spread to other countries in Central and East Africa.

On May 25, the Ministry of Communications of the Democratic Republic of Congo announced that as of May 24, the country had recorded 904 suspected cases and 204 deaths suspected to be due to Ebola, mainly in Ituri. The disease has appeared in the two provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, and has also spread to Uganda.

Medical personnel check people's temperatures to control the spread of Ebola in Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 23. PHOTO: THX

On social media platform X, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the province of Ituri currently has nearly 5 million inhabitants. Amid the ongoing conflict, approximately 25% of Ituri's population requires humanitarian assistance, and 20% are internally displaced, including healthcare workers and humanitarian aid personnel. This severely impairs the ability to expand contact tracing for Ebola and detect cases early enough to provide supportive care.

According to the WHO head, the prolonged insecurity and fear are also increasing distrust within the community. This is one of the biggest obstacles to the fight against the epidemic. The WHO and its humanitarian health partners remain present throughout Ituri province, including in the most remote and dangerous areas, where people face not only Ebola but also many other diseases.

The African Union (AU) has warned that at least 10 countries in the region, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Sudan, could face the risk of being affected if the disease is not brought under control in a timely manner.

According to international health experts, given the limitations of the healthcare system and the ongoing conflict in the region, the risk of disease outbreaks spreading beyond national borders is very real, posing a major challenge to health security in Central and East Africa.

Also on May 25, India issued a travel warning for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan after the WHO declared the current Ebola outbreak a public health emergency. Prior to India, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that legal permanent residents (green card holders) would now be subject to temporary entry restrictions related to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in East and Central Africa.

According to THX, on May 22, the WHO upgraded the risk assessment for the Democratic Republic of Congo from "high" to "very high".

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Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/dich-ebola-chdc-congo-doi-dien-khung-hoang-kep-post854423.html