Emergency supplies, protective gear and logistics mobilised to contain spread.
News York: United Nations agencies have rapidly scaled up their response to a new Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), deploying emergency medical supplies, protective equipment, and logistics support to frontline teams.
Officials said the swift mobilisation is aimed at curbing transmission and reinforcing local health systems as communities confront the deadly virus.
UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric gave the update on Thursday in New York while briefing journalists on the Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda.
“Our humanitarian and peacekeeping colleagues are continuing to support the government’s efforts regarding the fast-spreading outbreak of Ebola and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation.
“The province of Ituri remains the epicentre of the outbreak with the most affected areas in the towns of Rwampara, Mongbwalu and Bunia.
“These towns may not be familiar to you, but it’s important to note that they are densely populated.
“The peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) is specifically providing logistical assistance, such as transporting emergency medical supplies and equipment to Bunia, with the aim of supporting and reinforcing the medical response efforts in affected areas,” Dujarric said.
The mission also provided four vehicles and positioned a helicopter to support operations and flights in Ituri, as required.
In addition, he said MONUSCO had positioned one helicopter to support flights to affected areas in Ituri as required.
Two ambulances and two armoured vehicles are also en route from Goma to Bunia to support medical evacuation and outreach in areas with high security risks.
“This material is being provided to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is responsible for medical response and coordinating healthcare activities related to Ebola containment.
“There are increasing concerns also over the spread of Ebola to the province of North Kivu, where cases have now been confirmed in Goma, Butembo and Katwa.
“Our colleagues note that these are urban areas with a history of Ebola transmission,” he said.
“In North Kivu, partners are strengthening surveillance, introducing screening at points of entry and adapting operations, including remote coordination where it is needed.
“To strengthen the mobility of health teams engaged in contact tracing and rapid response, MONUSCO has also sent motorcycles from Goma and Beni, while additional ones are being serviced in Bunia for handover to WHO,’’ he added.
In addition, he told journalists that local authorities in South Kivu reportedly confirmed a new case in the town of Bukavua person arriving from Tshopo, which borders Ituri province.
“As we have said before, but it’s worth repeating, this outbreak is unfolding in a context marked by displacement, marked by insecurity, marked by high population mobility and significant access constraints for humanitarians and peacekeepers.
“All our colleagues on the group”All our colleagues on the ground, whether they be United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Peacekeepers, WHO, World Food Programme (WFP) , UN child rights agency (UNICEF) and many others, will continue to work and to do their best in support of the population,’’ he said.g the transport of aid workers, medical supplies and essential cargo into hard-to-reach areas and stands ready to scale up efforts.
It also provides critical logistics services to the wider humanitarian community, in addition to providing food and nutrition assistance to patients, survivors, contacts, and affected households.miWFP currently needs over 214 million dollars to support operations in the DRC, and over 10 million dollars specifically for the Ebola response. concern for children as they “are especially vulnerable to the impacts of Ebola outbreaks, including disruptions to essential services, loss of parents and caregivers, stigma, psychosocial distress, and increased protection risks.”
UNICEF‘s support to date has included mobilising nearly 50 tonnes of supplies, including disinfectants and soaps, personal protective equipment, water purification tablets, and water tanks.
An Emergency Rapid Response team is also on the way to Bunia to provide technical assistance in priority areas, including support for risk communication and community engagement.
Although over 2,000 community health workers are already in place, additional capacity and resources are urgently needed, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.
The DRC has battled Ebola 17 times since the virus was first discovered 50 years ago.
The latest outbreak was caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, and no vaccines or treatments are currently available to treat it.
To date, there have been 139 deaths in the DRC, and some 600 suspected cases, while Uganda has confirmed two cases.
WHO declared that the outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern requiring countries to coordinate and cooperate in response, but not a pandemic emergency.
𝗞𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲 𝗔𝗱𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱-𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝟭𝟱 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲. 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀, 𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆. 𝗔𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝗺, 𝗔𝗱𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵𝘀, 𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗺.
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