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WHO Raises Ebola Risk Assessment in Congo
Developing
In Short: The World Health Organization has upgraded the risk assessment for the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 'very high,' citing rapid spread and challenges in containing the disease.
The World Health Organization has raised its assessment of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 'very high,' citing rapid spread and the risk of regional contagion, according to AP News. The risk remains high for regional spread and low at a global level, the WHO head said, adding that suspected patients have been mixing with the general population at regional hospitals.
Congo Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner told AP that efforts to contain the outbreak are lagging, saying, 'We are trying to catch up.' The government has imposed strict protocols for funerals and required journalists to obtain permits to report on the outbreak, which has impeded their work. Authorities are creating a crisis team to address the situation.
On Thursday, an Ebola treatment center in Rwampara was set on fire by youths angered by the blockage of a friend's body retrieval, according to witnesses and police. The incident highlights the challenges faced by authorities in managing the outbreak, as the government and rebels are not communicating effectively on the issue.
An incident manager on the national Ebola response team reported that suspected Ebola patients have been mixing with the general population at regional hospitals, complicating efforts to control the spread of the disease. The WHO's assessment reflects the urgency of the situation and the need for a coordinated response to prevent further transmission.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- The head of the World Health Organization said Friday that the Ebola outbreak in Congo is rapidly spreading and now poses a “very high” risk at the national level.
- The risk remains high for regional spread and low at global levels, he told reporters.
- An incident manager on the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s national Ebola response team said on Friday that suspected Ebola patients have mixed with the general population at the region’s general hospitals.
- “We are trying to catch up,” Congo Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner told the AP.
- It said funerals must be conducted in strict compliance with health protocols.
- The authorities also required journalists to obtain a permit to report on the outbreak, impeding their work.
- The group said Friday it was creating a crisis team to fight the outbreak.
- She said the Congo government and rebels were not communicating on the outbreak.
Sources
- AP Newslink