Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria- The World Health Organization, on Friday sounded a fresh alarm over the worsening Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as suspected infections approach 750 and violence continues to cripple containment efforts.
WHO says the outbreak has already produced 82 confirmed cases and at least 177 suspected deaths, while insecurity in eastern Congo has displaced more than 100,000 people.
The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, has spread into neighbouring Uganda, where authorities confirmed two imported infections and one death.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the outbreak risk inside Congo has now been upgraded from “high” to “very high”.
The agency also reveals that attacks on hospitals and health facilities are worsening response efforts.
According to WHO, armed violence in Ituri Province recently led to the destruction of medical tents and supplies during an attack on a hospital treating Ebola patients.
The outbreak is unfolding in a region where nearly 10 million people already face acute hunger and humanitarian crises.
WHO says 22 international emergency staff members have been deployed, while $3.9 million has been released to support outbreak control operations.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention says no Ebola case has been detected in Nigeria despite viral misinformation circulating online.
The agency says airports, seaports and land borders remain under heightened surveillance to prevent possible importation of the virus.
Health officials warn that the absence of approved vaccines for the Bundibugyo strain could prolong the outbreak if transmission is not quickly interrupted through aggressive contact tracing and isolation measures.
About the Author
Oluwatobi Adu 
Hussaini Ibrahim 
