Ebola outbreak in DRC: State of play
Ebola outbreak in DRC: State of play
Almost seven months after the beginning of the current Ebola outbreak there have been 879 confirmed cases of Ebola and 553 people have died. The epidemic is clearly not under control.
The last week of February, attacks against Ebola treatment centres in Katwa and Butembo led Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to evacuate and suspend its activities in what is currently the epicenter of the Ebola epidemic. MSF continues to work on the Ebola response in other zones in North Kivu and in neighbouring Ituri province.
Dr Joanne Liu, international president of MSF is just back from a visit to MSF projects in the region, and will give an update on our reading of the current Ebola response and the challenges being faced.
MSF currently manages Ebola-related activities in the North Kivu towns of Kayna and Lubéru and runs two Ebola transit centres in Ituri province. In the city of Goma, MSF has been supporting emergency preparedness by reinforcing the surveillance system and ensuring there is adequate capacity to isolate suspected cases.
Speakers
Dr Joanne Liu
International President of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders