The second-worst Ebola outbreak in history has killed more than 1,500
people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since it began last
August. And on Wednesday, nearly a year after the outbreak began, and
in the midst of renewed concerns over its spread, the World Health
Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public-health emergency of international concern.
The decision is meant to spur a stronger response from the international community in hopes of ending the outbreak, which has proved difficult to contain due to a humanitarian crisis DRC, attacks on health care workers and rampant misinformation within the country. Concerns of further spread were reignited last month when infected individuals died in neighboring Ugandaafter traveling from the DRC. The disease’s presence was also recently confirmed in the DRC city of Goma, which is considered a transport hub and is near the Rwandan border.
“Now is the time for the international community to stand in solidarity with the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference Wednesday. “I stress this: The government of DRC is doing everything it can. They need the support of the international community.”
The declaration came at the recommendation of the International Health
Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee, which cited possible increased
national and regional risks associated with the outbreak. At three prior
meetings on the topic, the WHO declined to declare the outbreak an
international public-health emergency.
The decision is meant to spur a stronger response from the international community in hopes of ending the outbreak, which has proved difficult to contain due to a humanitarian crisis DRC, attacks on health care workers and rampant misinformation within the country. Concerns of further spread were reignited last month when infected individuals died in neighboring Ugandaafter traveling from the DRC. The disease’s presence was also recently confirmed in the DRC city of Goma, which is considered a transport hub and is near the Rwandan border.
“Now is the time for the international community to stand in solidarity with the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference Wednesday. “I stress this: The government of DRC is doing everything it can. They need the support of the international community.”
World Health Organization (WHO)
✔@WHO
World Health Organization (WHO)
✔@WHO
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