WHO declares Congo’s Ebola Outbreak a Global Health Emergency

By:brightwebtv.com/nana asare barimah

The World Health Organization,(WHO), has declared Congo’s recent Ebola outbreak a public health emergency that needs international concern.

According to the definition of WHO, a public health emergency means that other states stand the risk of being affected by the spread of the disease.

The declaration was made at an emergency conference on Wednesday.

“The risk of Ebola spread in DRC and the region remains very high and risk of spread outside the region remains low”. said director-general of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

He was quick to add that now was the time for the world to stand in solidarity with the people of Congo.

The WHO International Health Regulations’ Emergency Committee for Ebola Viral Disease in the DRC met in Geneva today after a new case involving a pastor who entered the country by bus early-on on Monday tested positive.

Meanwhile, in spite of the declaration, WHO does not recommend any travel or trade restriction but instead, has released some recommendations for affected countries.

According to WHO, committee members were disappointed by the delay in funding which has constrained response.

The outbreak which began last summer was recorded on the first day of August last year after the country’s health ministry declared an outbreak of the virus in Congo’s North Kivu Province.

As of Monday, WHO reported that a total of 2,512 Ebola cases have been recorded and 1,676 deaths.

Source:goggle