Suspected Ebola cases in eastern Congo top 900
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo has surpassed 900 suspected cases, primarily in Ituri province. Local authorities face significant challenges, including community backlash and violence from armed groups, which complicate the response to the health crisis. The situation is exacerbated by the displacement of nearly a million people due to ongoing conflict in the region.
- ▪Congolese authorities reported 904 suspected Ebola cases and 119 suspected deaths as of Sunday.
- ▪The outbreak is centered in Ituri province, which is also experiencing violence from various rebel groups.
- ▪Almost a million people have been displaced in Ituri due to conflict, impacting the response to the Ebola outbreak.
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KINSHASA, Congo — Arson attacks on Ebola treatment centers in eastern Congo underscore the serious challenges authorities face — including a backlash in local communities — as they try to stem an outbreak of the infectious disease that has been declared a global health emergency. On Sunday, Congolese authorities said suspected cases have now passed 900 in the east of the country, mainly in Ituri province, where the ongoing outbreak is centered. The burning last week of the centers in two towns at the heart of the outbreak exposed the anger in a region beset by violence linked to armed rebel groups, the displacement of a large number of people, the failure of local government and international aid cuts that experts say have stripped health facilities in vulnerable communities.
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