3 weeks ago
Ebola Death Toll Crosses 2,000 in Democratic Republic of Congo
Ebola is a very serious sickness that is spreading in a country in Africa called the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
More than 2,000 people have now died from Ebola there, including many children, mothers, and fathers.
Doctors have found Ebola in 4,381 people across five different parts of the country.
The sickness is spreading faster than ever before in this country, and at least 1,000 people have died in just the last three weeks.
Big groups that help people, like the World Health Organization and UNICEF, are working hard to stop it.
They are making a hospital in a place called Lita bigger so it can help twice as many sick people.
A helper from the United Nations named Julien Harneis said everyone must do more, right now, to save lives.
Only one other Ebola outbreak, in West Africa from 2014 to 2016, was bigger than this one.
The helpers hope that by working together, they can stop Ebola and keep more people safe.
More than 2,000 people have died of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the outbreak was declared fewer than three months ago.
Al Jazeera, citing official government data, reported at least 1,000 of the deaths occurred in the last three weeks as the virus spreads at an alarming rate.
A total of 4,381 Ebola cases across five DRC provinces have been confirmed, including 2,011 deaths.
The outbreak is the fastest-growing on record in the country and second in size only to the 2014-2016 West African outbreak, in which 11,310 people died.
The WHO is doubling its treatment centre in Lita from 40 to 80 beds, supported by the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, ALIMA, WFP, and MONUSCO.
- Who
- People in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the response led by the WHO, the Ministry of Health, UNICEF, ALIMA, WFP, and MONUSCO, as well as UN Senior Ebola Coordinator Julien Harneis.
- What
- The Ebola outbreak's death toll has surpassed 2,000, with 4,381 confirmed cases across five provinces, making it the fastest-growing outbreak on record in the DRC and second in size only to the 2014-2016 West African outbreak.
- Where
- Democratic Republic of the Congo, across five provinces, including a WHO-built treatment centre in Lita.
- When
- As of Tuesday, fewer than three months after the outbreak was declared; at least 1,000 deaths occurred in the last three weeks, and half of the deaths happened in the last 20 days.
- Why
- The Ebola virus continues to spread at an alarming rate, prompting urgent appeals from international officials to do more immediately to save lives and stop the epidemic.
Key facts
- Confirmed deaths
- 2,011
- Confirmed cases
- 4,381
- Provinces affected
- 5
- Deaths in last three weeks
- At least 1,000
- Outbreak declared
- Fewer than three months ago
- Largest recorded outbreak
- 2014-2016 West African outbreak with 11,310 deaths
- Treatment centre expansion (Lita)
- 40 to 80 beds
- Response partners
- Ministry of Health, UNICEF, ALIMA, WFP, MONUSCO, WHO
Quotes
Julien Harneis
UN Senior Ebola Coordinator
“Today the Ebola epidemic surpassed 2,000 deaths, half of these in the last 20 days. 2,000 children, mothers, fathers. All of us in the response, aid workers, organisations, governments, donors, with the community, must do more, and do it today, to save lives and stop Ebola.”
m.rediff.com
Sources
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