WHO Head ‘Worried’ About DR Congo Ebola Outbreak

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo has made him even more worried about the outbreak.

Ongoing conflict makes it more conducive for the virus to spread and there are difficulties accessing areas affected, the director general said at a press conference in Geneva on Tuesday.

One of the particularities of this outbreak, Dr Tedros said, is that there are more women and children affected than in previous outbreaks.

Seven health workers have also tested positive. Because of that, all 74 health workers at one of the main hospitals have been put on temporary leave.

So far, nearly 200 health workers and 20 community members have been vaccinated. Today, an experimental treatment developed in the US was also deployed.

DR Congo is facing its 10th Ebola outbreak. There are 30 confirmed cases reported and 41 people have died in the eastern provinces of North Kivu and Ituri.

The root cause of this latest outbreak is still unknown.

Source: BBC