The World Health Organization (WHO) is providing an update on the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and is collaborating with the DR Congo to establish new treatment centers in Bunia, the capital of the Ituri province. The WHO director-general, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, will also address a hantavirus outbreak onboard a cruise ship during his speech at the World Health Assembly.
The World Health Organization is giving an update after it declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo a public health emergency of international concern -The WHO previously said the outbreak did not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency, but warned it could be "much larger" than what's been detected so far The strain of Ebola is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved drugs or vaccines In a speech, the WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is also expected to address a hantavirus outbreak onboard a cruise ship -Health authorities in DR Congo say new treatment centres are being established in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province that is the centre of this Ebola outbreak, to take the pressure off hospitals taking in a growing number of patients.
"This morning, we brought all the tents in order to set up the treatment centres," DR Congo's Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba told the AP news agency on Sunday on a visit to Bunia. "We know that the hospitals are already under stress because of the patients. I would like to inform the population here that we have 59 patients who are currently being actively cared for.
But we are preparing to have treatment centres... in order to be able to expand our capabilities.
" World Health Organization representative in DR Congo Anne Ancia said the equipment was a "first response" and would not be enough. "We are in the process of preparing a C-130 cargo plane, which is already in Nairobi at the moment, which is being loaded at our depot, which will then leave for Kinshasa, and which will bring additional equipment.
"The Democratic Republic of Congo is experienced in dealing with Ebola as this is now the 17th outbreak of the virus in the country. The country saw the deadliest outbreak between 2018 and 2020, during which nearly 2,300 people died. The virus gained more global attention over a decade ago when it spread in West Africa - focused on Guinea, where it started, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Between 2014 and 2016, at least 28,600 people were infected and 11,325 people died. A small handful of cases were also seen in seven additional countries: Italy, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Spain, the UK, and the US. We're continuing to monitor the assembly session from the World Health Organization, and will bring you the key lines on Ebola and hantavirus as we get them.writes our health and science correspondent James Gallagher.
It has been spreading for weeks undetected in a part of the world where civil war makes getting on top of the virus difficult. The species of Ebola involved is rare, so there are fewer tools to stop a virus that kills about a third of people infected. Most Ebola outbreaks tend to be small, but specialists are haunted by the 2014-16 outbreak.
Then, 28,600 people in West Africa were infected in the largest ever outbreak of the disease. Victor Atallah Lajam, president of the World Health Assembly, is speaking about the health challenges facing the world and possible solutions. He says global health is not measured in documents, but in lives, and urges attendees to make this assembly a "historic moment" for humanity. The World Health Assembly session has started.
Next, we'll hear from WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. While we wait for Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to speak, here's a comment from the director general of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, who has just spoken to BBC News. Jean Kaseya says his biggest worry is the increasing number of cases of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
"Now we have at least 395 suspected cases, if I combine the two countries," Kaseya says. The vast majority of these are in DR Congo as only two cases have been reported so far in Uganda.
"We have more than 100 people already passed on, and we don't have a vaccine, we don't have medicine available to support. " "This is my biggest worry because we need to see how to stop the transmission and we are working with the government of DRC and the government of Uganda to stop the transmission of this outbreak. "Ebola is a disease caused by a virus - it is rare, but severe and often deadly.
There are three species of Ebola virus that cause outbreaks, and this one is known as BundibugyoThe initial symptoms appear suddenly and are flu-like, such as a fever, headache and tiredness. As the disease progresses, vomiting and diarrhoea develop and the body's organs do not work as well.
Some patients may develop internal and external bleedingThere are vaccines for the Zaire species of Ebola, but not for BundibugyoWorld Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has given his opening remarks at the World Health Assembly in Switzerland this morning, ahead of his speech this afternoon. Tedros outlined how the WHO has changed over the years to "meet the changing needs" of its member states.
He also highlighted WHO's new science division and the "groundbreaking" HIV drug lenacapavir, which was prequalified by the organisation in 2025. He thanked Spanish officials for their help in dealing with the hantavirus outbreak, after Spain allowed the ship to sail to the Canary Islands and co-ordinate the repatriation of those on board. Tedros also told the assembly he would provide more details on both hantavirus and the Ebola outbreak in his afternoon address.
Earlier this month, a ship carrying about 150 passengers and crew from 23 countries was forced to quarantine after an outbreak of hantavirus on board. Three people - a Dutch couple and a German woman - died after travelling on the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius, with two of them confirmed to have had the virus. The number of infections among cruise passengers has now reached 11, after Canadian authorities confirmed another case on Sunday.
Earlier, WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said "there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak", but added that "given the long incubation period of the virus, it's possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks". After more than a month at sea, the Hondius reached its final destination in Rotterdam on Monday, with only the ship's crew remaining on board.
An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda has been declared a "public health emergency of international concern" by the World Health Organization . DR Congo’s eastern Ituri province has seen more than 390 suspected cases and at least 100 reported deaths, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Jean Kaseya told the BBC.
The virus has spread beyond the country with two confirmed cases, including one death, reported in neighbouring Uganda - both of those infected had travelled from DR Congo. The current strain of Ebola is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, the health agency says, for which there are no approved drugs or vaccines. The WHO warns the outbreak could be "much larger" than what’s currently being detected and reported, with significant risk of local and regional spread.
Health officials are urging those in affected areas to maintain strict hygiene to prevent its spread. Speaking to the BBC, Africa's top health official Jean Kaseya said special care had to be taken around funerals of those infected.
We’ll be hearing soon from World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, after the organisation declared the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of CongoThis comes as at least six Americans have been exposed to the virus in the outbreak, according to sources who spoke to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. We’ll bring you all the key updates on these outbreaks as soon as we get them. You will also be able to
Ebola Democratic Republic Of Congo Bundibugyo Virus WHO Public Health Emergency Of International Conce Tents Cruise Ship Hantavirus Sammy Roger Kamba Anne Ancia Victor Atallah Lajam World Health Assembly
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