The Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) requires "urgent" action and funding to rein in its alarming spread, the UN Secretary-General told reporters at UN Headquarters on Thursday.
Key points
- More than 5,600 cases and 2,700 deaths in six affected provinces in DRC since the outbreak began in mid-May
- The World Health Organization (WHO) believes it has slowed its spread, but has not yet managed to reverse the current trend
- Prevention work has already begun in neighbouring Burundi, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
"The challenge is immense," he said, noting 500 new cases are being reported every week while the humanitarian response remains only 48 per cent funded.
Estimates show current resources will last only weeks, not months, as the epidemic spreads faster than the response to contain it.
"We know how to contain Ebola , how to interrupt transmission and how to save lives," he underscored, "but we must also overcome another virus: the virus of indifference."
Watch the UN chief's press stakeout on UN Web TV:
More funds needed
"Without additional funding, vital operations will run out of money at the very moment they need to ramp up," he warned, calling for an additional $1.1 billion.
Money, however, is only part of the problem. Ebola is spreading in a region where decades of conflict have displaced entire populations and weakened health infrastructure. In Ituri province alone, one million people have been displaced, and more than 12 million people in the region are in need of humanitarian aid and protection.
Insecurity is also directly hindering the response. More than 40 healthcare workers have lost their lives while treatment centres and ambulances have been attacked. Humanitarian teams must therefore simultaneously confront the virus and the violence while some communities remain difficult to access.
All corners of civil society mobilised
Local artists and social media influencers are joining the fight against Ebola by raising awareness through their respective medium, including renowned Congolese singer and songwriter Lokua Kanza.
A national UN Children's Fund ( UNICEF ) ambassador, Mr. Kanza called for people to implement preventive measures in a video posted on the agency's social media account.
The Wedy duo and singer Drigo Eboma have also both published music calling for people to stop the spread, and 15 influencers - each with over 100,000 followers - have used their platforms to raise awareness among young people.
Religious leaders are also on the case, with over 50 of them in Ituri province - the epicentre of the outbreak - being briefed on how to prevent the spread and manage rumours.
Similarly, around 30 former combatants received special training from the UN and local partners on prevention measures and detection of suspect cases before being dispatched to heavily frequented areas north of Ituri province to share this crucial information with the local communities.
Prep work in Burundi
UN humanitarian agencies and partners are continuing to support government-led efforts in Burundi to prepare for the potential spread of Ebola in that neighbouring country.
While Burundi has not reported any confirmed cases, the country remains at higher risk due to its proximity to the affected areas in the DRC and continued cross-border population movements, UN agencies are reporting.
Some of the preparedness efforts are already under way, from strengthened surveillance at points of entry through temperature screening and deployment of thermal scanners to training healthcare providers, including nurses and community health workers, as well as journalists.
Uganda's outbreak declared over
UN health officials and partners declared on Thursday that the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in neighbouring Uganda is over.
This follows 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case since the country's last patient was discharged from care on 16 July.
The 42-day benchmark - equivalent to twice the upper limit of the incubation period for Ebola - is the internationally established criterion for determining that an outbreak has ended.
During the outbreak, Uganda reported 20 confirmed cases of the disease, including two deaths. More than 800 contacts were identified and monitored to stop the spread.
What's the UN doing?
- UN agencies and partners began expanding the response with 35 additional mobile safe and dignified burial teams and 286 community-based teams high-risk areas, with more than 2,500 volunteers and civil protection personnel, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
- WHO has deployed more than 260 experts, delivered over 330 tonnes of essential medical and logistical supplies
- The World Food Programme (WFP) continues to provide assistance and medical evacuations through its UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS)
- The UN migration agency, IOM, launched a regional preparedness plan in June covering 11 countries and has helped to screen more than one million people
- In Burundi, WHO and partners are supporting the national authorities in updating their Ebola response guidelines and strengthening lab procedures for the safe collection and transportation of samples while nearly 30,000 Ebola prevention posters have been distributed in three languages: Kirundi, Swahili and French
