<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/23/ebola-virus-spread-drc-democratic-republic-of-congo>
"The warnings from aid groups and healthcare workers in the Democratic Republic
of the Congo have been stark, their calls for coordinated international action
impassioned.
As the country reels from the return of the Ebola virus, there is growing
concern that its fragile healthcare system will struggle to cope with an
outbreak that experts say goes well beyond the number of confirmed cases.
“The speed at which this Ebola outbreak is spreading is deeply worrying,” said
Rose Tchwenko, the DRC country director at the NGO Mercy Corps. “The risk of
wider spread is real, and more regional and global support is urgently needed.”
Hama Amado, a field coordinator in the city of Bunia for the Alima aid group,
said the virus was gaining momentum and spreading in many areas. “Everyone must
mobilise,” he told
Associated Press on Thursday. “We are still far from
saying that the situation is under control.”
It has been a week since the DRC reported its 17th outbreak of Ebola, a viral
disease with a mortality rate of between 25% and 90% that is spread through
body fluids or contaminated materials and causes organ damage, blood vessel
impairment and sometimes severe internal and external bleeding.
Nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths have been recorded since
the first known victim died in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in
north-western DRC, on 24 April. Mourners touched him during a funeral in the
nearby town of Mongbwalu, contributing to the spread of the virus.
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities have quickly become overwhelmed.
Trish Newport, an emergency programme manager at Médecins Sans Frontières, said
a team had identified suspected cases over the weekend at Bunia’s Salama
hospital but found no available isolation ward in the area. “Every health
facility they called said: ‘We’re full of suspect cases. We don’t have any
space,’” she said on social media. “This gives you a vision of how crazy it is
right now.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
