21:15, 06-Jun-2019
Dr Congo Ebola Outbreak: UN scales up prevention measures as infection cases increase
Updated
09:42, 07-Jun-2019
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The United Nations has declared the highest level of emergency in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It says violence by armed groups has severely affected efforts to deal with the outbreak. The World Health Organisation says the decision will allow more funds to be allocated. Chris Ocamringa reports.
Health care workers trying to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus in eastern DRC have been targeted by armed groups in Beni, Butembo and Katwa. That has seriously disrupted their efforts to stop the disease from spreading.
But the UN has now stepped up Ebola prevention work to the highest level of emergency response in a bid to bring a swift end to the outbreak.
DR IBRAHIMA SOCE FALL ASSISTANT DIRECTOR GENERAL, WHO "They have decided to escalate the level of intervention to the highest level - which is level three in the UN system meaning that we will mobilize more resources and more capacity on the ground to address all the pillars."
The UN activates such a response whenever agencies are unable to meet the needs on the ground. The level three response has only previously been applied in Yemen, Syria and Mozambique.
CHRIS OCAMRINGA KINSHASA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO "According to the DRC Ministry of Health, the Ebola outbreak has now surpassed 2000 cases with more than 1300 people reported dead since August last year. International health experts have scaled up their response."
DRC citizens in Kinshasa say they welcome the UN's decision.
"I am very happy that the UN has stepped up the Ebola response."
"We are very very happy about that but what we are regretting is that every time the outbreak occurs, this is the 5th of 6th time that Ebola is eating the DRC, the officials can't find any solution once."
The current Ebola outbreak is the tenth to occur in the DRC. It's the second worst in the world after that seen in West Africa in 2014. Chris Ocamringa, CGTN, Kinshasa, DRC.