Geneva, May 25 (SANA) More than 900 suspected Ebola cases have been reported in the conflict-affected Democratic Republic of Congo, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said, as concerns grow over the spread of the virus in the country’s east.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said health authorities had confirmed 101 Ebola infections in Ituri province, currently considered the center of the epidemic.
Tedros said nearly a quarter of Ituri’s roughly five million residents were in need of humanitarian assistance, while about 20% had been displaced by worsening humanitarian and health conditions.
Congo’s Health Ministry said on Sunday that more than 200 people had died among 867 suspected cases recorded in the latest official tally, reflecting a sharp rise in infections linked to the outbreak.
The WHO has raised the public health risk associated with the outbreak in Congo from “high” to “very high,” warning of potentially serious consequences for already strained healthcare systems in affected areas.
R.D/ABD
