CONGO: Ebola outbreak claimed a mother and her two sons recently taking the death toll to 1,600 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to estimates from the World Health Organization.
The current Ebola outbreak began last summer in the country’s North Kivu province and now constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, WHO announced on Wednesday, July 17. This is only the fifth declaration of its kind in the organization’s history.
The region is also grappling with a long-term conflict and dozens of armed groups causing intermittent violence. WHO has received additional support from the United Nations and local police to protect treatment centers.
“The displacement of people due to these attacks makes it harder for the (Ebola) response to be effective,” Wessels said. “It also means that some days the response is shut down due to insecurity and fighting in the area. All of this adds up to make it a highly complex and stressful environment for community members and doctors alike.”
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