DR Congo Escalates Efforts Against Ebola Outbreak

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are ramping up their response to an ongoing Ebola outbreak, which has seen a rise in infections in severely affected areas. On Wednesday, World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus met with President Félix Tshisekedi in Kinshasa, marking his second visit since the outbreak was declared in mid-May.

Accompanying him was Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. According to Congo’s Ministry of Health, the outbreak has recorded confirmed cases and deaths, with the United States announcing an additional million dollars in funding for emergency Ebola response, preparedness, and humanitarian support across the region.

This outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, has become the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded and the fastest spreading in Congo’s history. With no approved vaccine or treatment for this strain, health authorities are urgently working to contain the virus and prevent further loss of life.