© WHO/G. Harrington Health workers at an Ebola treatment center in Bunia, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is spreading “exponentially” Health
As the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo spreads, UN officials on Friday renewed their call for international support for the country.
“The funding will only last for the next few weeks, and very soon the funds will run out,” said Julien Harneis, senior UN coordinator for the fight against Ebola. “Every delay in funding and implementation makes this epidemic deadlier, more difficult to combat, and increases its cost. Therefore, we need international support immediately.”
Since the outbreak was declared on May 15, 5,290 cases have been confirmed, including 2,516 deaths, 1,152 reported. have recovered, almost 840 more remain in isolation or in hospitals. The fatality rate is 47.6 percent. 82.9 percent of those exposed to the virus are under observation.
“Growing exponentially”
Speaking to reporters via video link from Bunia in Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak, Harneis warned that the disease is “spreading exponentially.” Half of all deaths were recorded in just the last 20 days.
“The epidemic is spreading over an area larger than France. The outbreak is growing faster and covering an ever larger area, outpacing our response,” he stressed. conditions.
In three months since the outbreak began, 160 medical workers became infected with Ebola, 43 of them died. However, employees fighting the spread of the virus face more than just the threat of infection.
“In addition to the threat from the virus itself, health workers and other frontline workers are being attacked by youth, ambulances are being set on fire and stones are thrown, and medical facilities are being attacked,” Harneis said.
“Conditions on the ground are extremely difficult, but we will continue to send all necessary humanitarian and medical assistance until the work is completed,” added he.
Lack of basic services
Another major obstacle remains the lack of basic social and public services in the six eastern provinces where the virus is spreading: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, Tshopo and Bas-Uele. This, according to Harneis, is a direct result of decades of armed violence in the resource-rich region.
The situation is also complicated by the limited number of banks.
“The banking system in the area is virtually non-functional,” Harneis explained. “We are unable to deliver the necessary cash to pay workers, which is causing serious dissatisfaction among frontline workers.”
US Support
The United States has provided $80 million to the DR Congo government, in part to increase the number of hospital beds and ensure the safe burial of the dead. However, according to Harneis, cuts in humanitarian funding, especially in the last two years, have reduced the capacity of humanitarian organizations by more than 30 percent.
Despite these challenges, UN agencies continue to work with DRC authorities and partners to combat the spread of Ebola. These include the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Program (WFP), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). a threat that comes into your community and suddenly people around you start getting sick and your loved ones die,” he said. “It causes great fear in any community.”