WHO: Ebola Outbreaks Widen in Democratic Republic of Congo, Case Recorded in Nigeria
World Health Organization: Ebola outbreak hotspots expanding in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a case recorded in Nigeria.
Translated by Qiyas from كونا — Original source
Geneva, October 23 (KUNA) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday the detection of new Ebola virus outbreak clusters in remote areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, alongside the confirmation of an Ebola case in Nigeria in a woman who had recently returned from Uganda, which had previously declared the end of the outbreak within its borders.
Catherine Smallwood, the WHO’s lead for the Ebola outbreak response, said at a press conference in Geneva that the virus has spread to wide geographical areas, some of which are difficult to access due to complex security and logistical challenges. This complicates efforts to contain the outbreak and deliver medical aid to affected regions.
Smallwood noted that the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached 9,765, with approximately half of those infected having died. Health teams continue to monitor around 30,000 daily contacts of confirmed cases. She also highlighted that the number of recovered patients has risen to more than 2,600, reflecting progress in health response efforts despite ongoing challenges hindering containment and control operations.
She stressed the need to strengthen funding, provide medical, logistical, and nutritional support, enhance local response capacities, and accelerate early detection efforts to curb the virus’s spread, particularly in areas affected by conflict, displacement, and food insecurity.
For his part, WHO acting spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said Nigerian authorities confirmed on October 20 the detection of a case of the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus in a woman who had recently traveled to Uganda.
Lindmeier explained that epidemiological investigations are ongoing to identify the source of infection, verify the patient’s travel history, and identify and monitor individuals who had contact with her to prevent further transmission.
He renewed the WHO’s call for countries in the region to maintain high levels of preparedness, strengthen epidemiological surveillance systems, and enhance health screening at border crossings and points of entry. At the same time, he emphasized that the WHO does not recommend imposing travel or trade restrictions on countries affected by the outbreak. (End) A.M.Kh./M.N.F.
