The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda is spreading faster than containment measures can be implemented. According to the organization, the suspected death toll since the start of the epidemic has reached 220, and the situation may worsen before stabilizing.

According to the WHO chief, specialists are facing delays in identifying new infection cases, forcing medical services to 'catch up' with the development of the epidemic. Additional difficulties arise from the spread of the infection in the unstable provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, where access to medical care is limited.

The outbreak is linked to a rare strain of the Ebola virus – Bundibugyo – for which no approved vaccine currently exists. The WHO also warns that the risk of spread remains high for neighboring countries of Congo.

On May 26, the WHO chief plans to personally visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo together with epidemiologist Chikwe Ihekweazu.

Meanwhile, Ugandan authorities reported two new confirmed cases, bringing the total number of infected in the country to seven. Earlier, the WHO declared the Ebola outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Source: kun.uz