WHO warns new Ebola outbreak in Congo faces funding gap

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo (AP) — The World Health Organization said Tuesday it is facing a “serious funding gap” to battle the new outbreak of Ebola in remote corners of northern Congo amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The $1.75 million raised so far will only last for a few more weeks, the WHO warned, adding that the response effort is particularly expensive because of how difficult it is to get health teams and supplies into the densely forested area.

Already there have been 24 deaths since the outbreak was declared on June 1.

The emergence of Ebola in Congo’s northern Equateur province came just as the world’s second deadliest Ebola outbreak was nearing its end.

“The response to Ebola in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is complex, but we must not allow COVID-19 to distract us from tackling other urgent health threats,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa.

The funding shortage threatens to unravel early gains in this epidemic. When Equateur province last had Ebola cases in 2018, it took health officials two weeks to start vaccinating people.

This time around, vaccination teams were mobilised within four days of the outbreak declaration, Moeti said.

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