Washington DC [US], May 29: The chief of the United Nations health agency is travelling to Ituri in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has been hit the "hardest" as authorities battle to contain the country's 17th Ebola outbreak.
"I want you to know that you are not alone," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), said in a lengthy and heartfelt message published on X on Thursday.
Tedros also addressed health workers in the eastern province, where the first case was recorded and 90 percent of patients are being treated, hailing them as the "backbone of this response".
"I am coming to Bunia [the capital of Ituri province]. I will be there in person, alongside my colleagues, meeting your leaders, listening to your concerns, and doing everything in my power to help you," Tedros said.
His comments come as authorities in DRC rush to stop the spread of the disease. Latest government figures show 121 confirmed cases so far, including 17 confirmed deaths. Data also shows 246 suspected fatalities and 1,077 suspected cases. Authorities estimate the number of casualties to be higher.
Most previous Ebola outbreaks in DRC were caused by a virus called Ebola Zaire, for which there are vaccines and treatments. This outbreak is caused by a different strain called Bundibugyo, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments. On Thursday, the head of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said work is being done to develop a vaccine. "What we can tell you for sure, by the end of this year, 2026, Africa CDC will make sure that we have a vaccine and medicine against Bundibugyo," Jean Kaseya told reporters.
Separately, aid workers rushed supplies to Ituri on Thursday, the Associated Press reported.
A cargo plane with aid donated by the European Union delivered masks, gloves, boots and medications - all of which are in short supply - to the northeastern town of Bunia at the heart of the outbreak. More EU aid is expected to arrive in batches over the next eight days, Jerome Kouachi, head of emergency operations at UNICEF in Congo, told AP.
Health workers with scant supplies have been struggling to contain the outbreak. In some areas, doctors have resorted to wearing expired medical masks while treating suspected patients. Dangers faced by health workers have been heightened by public anger at stringent medical protocols for dealing with victim's bodies, as well as armed groups in a volatile region.
Source: Qatar Tribune