WHO warns of Ebola’s spread in Africa and requests US$518 million to contain outbreak

Geneva. The World Health Organization (WHO) issued an international alert regarding the rapid spread of the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa and announced a six-month response plan that requires US$518 million in funding to contain the spread of the disease.

The agency explained that the resources will be primarily allocated to strengthening epidemiological surveillance efforts, contact tracing, medical care, and border controls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, the two countries most affected by the outbreak.

According to the most recent data, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded more than 450 confirmed cases and at least 82 deaths, while Uganda has reported several infections linked to people coming from Congolese territory. Health authorities warned that community transmission continues to expand, especially in Ituri province, considered the epicenter of the emergency.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pointed out that the scale of the outbreak and the speed of spread require a coordinated response from the international community, accompanied by sustained funding and greater participation from the affected communities.

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The situation is exacerbated by the circulation of the Bundibugyo variant of the Ebola virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments, representing an additional challenge for the medical teams deployed in the region.

The WHO declared this outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern last May due to the risk of cross-border spread and the difficulties in controlling the disease in areas affected by armed conflict, population displacement, and limited health services.

International health authorities are keeping neighboring countries under surveillance and have reinforced preparedness and response measures to prevent the disease from continuing to spread throughout the region.