DR Congo president to visit Ebola-hit Ituri as cases top 1,000
Kinshasa, June 23
President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix Tshisekedi announced Tuesday that he would soon visit Ituri Province, the epicentre of the country's latest Ebola outbreak, to follow up on response efforts.
"I will very soon go to Ituri Province, to the very sites of the outbreak, to personally follow up," Tshisekedi said at a joint press conference with visiting Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, who currently chairs the African Union, Xinhua news agency reported.
The announcement came after the two leaders attended a meeting of the national Ebola response task force in Kinshasa. Tshisekedi said the meeting had provided "a full update" on the epidemiological situation and the response measures being carried out by the DRC.
The latest outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, has continued to spread in the country's conflict-affected east. According to the latest figures released by Congolese authorities, the DRC has reported 1,048 confirmed cases, including 267 deaths.
Tshisekedi said the DRC had mobilised health authorities, local communities, and national, African, and international partners to contain the outbreak, noting that health threats "ignore borders" and require stronger regional cooperation based on prevention, epidemiological surveillance, and rapid information-sharing.
Ndayishimiye expressed solidarity with the DRC and urged African countries and the wider international community not to close borders.
"We must show solidarity and manage this epidemic together," he said, adding that Burundi had not closed its border with the DRC, but had instead taken preparedness and prevention measures in coordination with Congolese authorities.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the outbreak remains concentrated in Ituri, while cases have also been reported in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. The agency has also warned that insecurity, population displacement, and constraints on surveillance and response activities continue to complicate efforts to contain the disease.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who remembers the nightmare of Ebola in West Africa, this is deeply concerning. The DRC has faced so many outbreaks—it's like the country can't catch a break. The Bundibugyo strain is less deadly than Zaire, but still dangerous. Kudos to Burundi for keeping borders open, but we need real action, not just solidarity statements. I hope the WHO's warnings about insecurity are taken seriously; we don't want this to become another global crisis.
It's 2023 and we're still dealing with Ebola? After COVID, you'd think the world would have learned about pandemic preparedness. The DRC has been battling this since 2018 with multiple outbreaks. The international community can't just ignore it because it's in Africa. This is a global health security issue. I'm glad Ndayishimiye didn't close borders, but we need more than that—how about vaccines, treatment centers, and protecting health workers in conflict zones?
I'm worried about the conflict situation there. How can health workers reach remote villages when there's active fighting? The DRC government needs to involve local communities and traditional leaders—that's what worked in India during polio and COVID campaigns. Also, they should use mobile phones for surveillance. Otherwise, this will just keep spreading. The President visiting is a start, but actions on the ground matter more.
I can't help but think about the parallels with India's own public health challenges. The DRC's problems—insecurity, displacement, lack of resources—are similar to what we see in parts of our country. But their situation is much worse. 1,000+ cases is huge for Ebola. The WHO should be doing more; their budget is always being cut. Maybe the AU can pool resources. Let's hope the President's visit leads to real change, not just photo ops.
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