Health workers in two African countries are working overtime to contain an Ebola outbreak. More than 10 cases are being reported out of Guinea and Congo. At least 7 people have died. Is this the beginning of a new epidemic? WION's Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: An Ebola outbreak in Africa in the middle of a pandemic

A new crisis has erupted in Africa - an outbreak of Ebola in Guinea and Congo. Five people have died in Guinea so far and six African countries have been put on alert.

In Africa, healthcare workers donning PPEs are fighting Ebola after new cases emerged in the region. Both Guinea and Congo experienced the world’s worst Ebola outbreaks earlier

On Sunday, Guinea announced that it has recorded 10 suspected cases so far, with five deaths. The country is still recovering from the last ebola outbreak and struggling with coronavirus.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/guinea-declares-ebola-epidemic-after-three-confirmed-deaths-363642" hreflang="en">Guinea declares Ebola 'epidemic' after three confirmed deaths</a>

The western Ebola outbreak began right here in 2014, and by the time it ended in 2016 there were more than 28,000 cases, and 11,000 deaths. The prospect of a second onslaught has scared the locals.

Meanwhile, Congo has confirmed four new cases and two deaths this month. The earlier outbreak of Ebola lasted almost two years here and killed more than 2,000 people. An emergency vaccination drive has begun, and more than 50 high risk contacts have been given the shots. There are supplies to vaccinate 16,000 people, but it may not be enough.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/scientist-who-discovered-ebola-warns-of-deadlier-diseases-in-the-future-351761" hreflang="en">Scientist who discovered Ebola warns of deadlier diseases in the future</a>

The World Health Organization has sounded an alarm, and six African countries are on alert including Sierra Leone and Liberia. Ebola has an average case fatality rate of 50 per cent though it can vary by outbreak.

African countries are not completely defenceless as vaccines and treatments have been developed in recent years. New treatments and surveillance systems helped in ending the last epidemic. But the early signs this time are worrying. Guinea has already declared its outbreak an epidemic.

A new crisis has erupted in Africa - an outbreak of Ebola in Guinea and Congo. Five people have died in Guinea so far and six African countries have been put on alert.

A new crisis has erupted in Africa - an outbreak of Ebola in Guinea and Congo. Five people have died in Guinea so far and six African countries have been put on alert. In Africa, healthcare workers donning PPEs are fighting Ebola after new cases emerged in the region. Both Guinea and Congo experienced the world’s worst Ebola outbreaks earlier On Sunday, Guinea announced that it has recorded 10 suspected cases so far, with five deaths. The country is still recovering from the last ebola outbreak and struggling with coronavirus. Also read: Guinea declares Ebola 'epidemic' after three confirmed deaths The western Ebola outbreak began right here in 2014, and by the time it ended in 2016 there were more than 28,000 cases, and 11,000 deaths. The prospect of a second onslaught has scared the locals. Meanwhile, Congo has confirmed four new cases and two deaths this month. The earlier outbreak of Ebola lasted almost two years here and killed more than 2,000 people. An emergency vaccination drive has begun, and more than 50 high risk contacts have been given the shots. There are supplies to vaccinate 16,000 people, but it may not be enough. Also read: Scientist who discovered Ebola warns of deadlier diseases in the future The World Health Organization has sounded an alarm, and six African countries are on alert including Sierra Leone and Liberia. Ebola has an average case fatality rate of 50 per cent though it can vary by outbreak. African countries are not completely defenceless as vaccines and treatments have been developed in recent years. New treatments and surveillance systems helped in ending the last epidemic. But the early signs this time are worrying. Guinea has already declared its outbreak an epidemic.

African countries are facing a new crisis - an Ebola outbreak

UN has announced that it will provide 15 million dollars to help Guinea and Congo combat new outbreaks of Ebola. UN Spokesperson said this will help both the countries respond to the epidemic. This is the first time, an outbreak has been recorded in Guinea since an outbreak that ended in 2016. Guinea records 3 deaths and 4 fresh cases while Congo also recorded 4 fresh cases of Ebola.

UN releases $15 million to fight Ebola

Guinea declared a new Ebola outbreak on Sunday, as tests came back positive for the virus after at least three people died and four fell ill in the southeast - the first resurgence of the disease there since the world`s worst outbreak in 2013-2016.

Guinea declares new Ebola outbreak, reports fresh cases since 2016

The pandemic has not yet ended, with new strains being identified, but things are not getting any better in this world. Now, Guinea has declared an 'epidemic' situation as the country has recorded at least three deaths and seven cases of the Ebola virus.

"Very early this morning, the Conakry laboratory confirmed the presence of the Ebola virus," declared Sakoba Keita, head of Guinea's National Health Security Agency, after an emergency meeting.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/guinea-reports-first-ebola-cases-since-2016-363588">Guinea reports first Ebola cases since 2016</a>

The west African country had earlier, in 2013-2016 faced a similar deadly epidemic which had taken nearly 11,300 lives due to the deadly virus.&nbsp;

Now, the reported deaths are the first ones since 2016. In addition to this,&nbsp;five more cases have been observed in the Gueckedou town in Guinea's south region.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scientist-who-discovered-ebola-warns-of-deadlier-diseases-in-the-future-351761">Scientist who discovered Ebola warns of deadlier diseases in the future</a>

The patients who have tested for the virus ad showed symptoms of hemorrhagic fever. Meanwhile, all individuals who came in contact with the infected people have been put under isolation, officials reported.

Seven patients, four men and three women had tested positive after attending the funeral of a nurse who had died from the same disease, health officials of Guinea reported.

"The nurse was probably infected from a patient," said Keita. "We are looking for that patient now."

These cases have been declared almost a week after eastern Congo confirmed Ebola cases in the country. However, till now, no link has been established between the cases of the two regions.

Earlier, the country's health minister had apparently reported four deaths, which later turned to three in the official tally. The reason and authenticity behind this have not been cleared yet.

The pandemic has not yet ended, with new strains being identified, but things are not getting any better in this world. Now, Guinea has declared an 'epidemic' situation as the country has recorded at least three deaths and seven cases of the Ebola virus.

The pandemic has not yet ended, with new strains being identified, but things are not getting any better in this world. Now, Guinea has declared an 'epidemic' situation as the country has recorded at least three deaths and seven cases of the Ebola virus. "Very early this morning, the Conakry laboratory confirmed the presence of the Ebola virus," declared Sakoba Keita, head of Guinea's National Health Security Agency, after an emergency meeting. Also read| Guinea reports first Ebola cases since 2016 The west African country had earlier, in 2013-2016 faced a similar deadly epidemic which had taken nearly 11,300 lives due to the deadly virus. Now, the reported deaths are the first ones since 2016. In addition to this, five more cases have been observed in the Gueckedou town in Guinea's south region. Also read| Scientist who discovered Ebola warns of deadlier diseases in the future The patients who have tested for the virus ad showed symptoms of hemorrhagic fever. Meanwhile, all individuals who came in contact with the infected people have been put under isolation, officials reported. Seven patients, four men and three women had tested positive after attending the funeral of a nurse who had died from the same disease, health officials of Guinea reported. "The nurse was probably infected from a patient," said Keita. "We are looking for that patient now." These cases have been declared almost a week after eastern Congo confirmed Ebola cases in the country. However, till now, no link has been established between the cases of the two regions. Earlier, the country's health minister had apparently reported four deaths, which later turned to three in the official tally. The reason and authenticity behind this have not been cleared yet.

Guinea declares Ebola 'epidemic' after three confirmed deaths

A new case of the Ebola virus disease was found in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, almost three months after the outbreak ended. A woman admitted to a hospital with Ebola symptoms died two days later. Results of her test showed she had been infected with the Ebola virus, which is transmitted by wild animals.

DR Congo: One woman dies after being admitted with Ebola symptoms

A new strain of coronavirus first spotted in the United Kingdom has sent panic shockwaves across the world, with many countries halting travel to and from the country. It is reminiscent of the pilot stages of COVID-19, when governments were scrambling to isolate infected people while tracing their whereabouts.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/what-the-world-can-learn-from-congos-ebola-response-351733/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Now, the scientist who discovered the deadly ebola disease is warning of more viruses to emerge in the near future, which may hamper your post-pandemic plans.

Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum, who helped discover ebola in 1976 claims that an unknown number of viruses, many of which could be way more fatal than the ongoing COVID-19&nbsp;could emerge across the world, starting from Africa’s tropical rainforests.

In pics:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/the-truth-about-coronavirus-vaccines-8-myths-busted-351294">The truth about coronavirus vaccines - 8 myths busted!</a>

In conversation with CNN, Tamfum warned how we are living in a world “where new pathogens will come out”. Tamfum has been on the hunt for more deadly pathogens since discovering the deadly ebola.

"And that's what constitutes a threat for humanity”, he told CNN while referring to the potential spread of diseases from animals to humans.

When ebola was first discovered, Muyembe was on the front lines taking blood samples of victims. Ebola is a very deadly disease which causes haemorrhages and has a very high fatality rate. In the beginning of its spread, it had killed 88 per cent of those who were infected, along with 80 per cent staff of a hospital where the disease was first discovered - Yambuku Mission Hospital.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/who-raises-alarm-and-asks-for-help-fighting-growing-ebola-outbreak-313896" hreflang="en">WHO raises alarm and asks for help fighting growing Ebola outbreak</a>

Once the samples were transported to Europe and the US, the scientists discovered a worm-shaped virus. It came to be known as “ebola” because of a river nearby which had this name, and was also known as Zaire.

While historically Africa has depended on the West for laboratory based work. Now, the West must rely on Africa to wade off potential pandemics which threaten humanity. And if those viruses turn out to be as deadly as ebola, it could cause an unprecedented loss of life.

Muyembe told CNN that zoonotic diseases, which jump from animals to humans are expected to show up in the near future.&nbsp;

From HIV, to SARS, to COVID-19 - all such diseases emerged in animals, then spread like the plague amongst human. The scientist warned of more such diseases to come, saying “Yes, yes, I think so”, while suggesting that those could be worse than COVID-19.

A new strain of coronavirus first spotted in the United Kingdom has sent panic shockwaves across the world, with many countries halting travel to and from the country.

A new strain of coronavirus first spotted in the United Kingdom has sent panic shockwaves across the world, with many countries halting travel to and from the country. It is reminiscent of the pilot stages of COVID-19, when governments were scrambling to isolate infected people while tracing their whereabouts. Now, the scientist who discovered the deadly ebola disease is warning of more viruses to emerge in the near future, which may hamper your post-pandemic plans. Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum, who helped discover ebola in 1976 claims that an unknown number of viruses, many of which could be way more fatal than the ongoing COVID-19 could emerge across the world, starting from Africa’s tropical rainforests. In pics: The truth about coronavirus vaccines - 8 myths busted! In conversation with CNN, Tamfum warned how we are living in a world “where new pathogens will come out”. Tamfum has been on the hunt for more deadly pathogens since discovering the deadly ebola. "And that's what constitutes a threat for humanity”, he told CNN while referring to the potential spread of diseases from animals to humans. When ebola was first discovered, Muyembe was on the front lines taking blood samples of victims. Ebola is a very deadly disease which causes haemorrhages and has a very high fatality rate. In the beginning of its spread, it had killed 88 per cent of those who were infected, along with 80 per cent staff of a hospital where the disease was first discovered - Yambuku Mission Hospital. Also read: WHO raises alarm and asks for help fighting growing Ebola outbreak Once the samples were transported to Europe and the US, the scientists discovered a worm-shaped virus. It came to be known as “ebola” because of a river nearby which had this name, and was also known as Zaire. While historically Africa has depended on the West for laboratory based work. Now, the West must rely on Africa to wade off potential pandemics which threaten humanity. And if those viruses turn out to be as deadly as ebola, it could cause an unprecedented loss of life. Muyembe told CNN that zoonotic diseases, which jump from animals to humans are expected to show up in the near future. From HIV, to SARS, to COVID-19 - all such diseases emerged in animals, then spread like the plague amongst human. The scientist warned of more such diseases to come, saying “Yes, yes, I think so”, while suggesting that those could be worse than COVID-19.

Scientist who discovered Ebola warns of deadlier diseases in the future

Democratic Republic of Congo has announced the end of Ebola outbreak in western Equateur province, nearly six months after cases were reported and amid the rise of COVID-19 in the Central African nation.

DR Congo is now Ebola free says Health Minister

The second-largest Ebola outbreak on record is over after nearly two years and more than 2,200 deaths, Democratic Republic of Congo said on Thursday, even as a separate flare-up of the virus continued on the other side of the country.

Despite effective vaccines and treatments that dramatically boosted survival rates, the outbreak dragged on as first responders struggled to gain access to virus hotspots in Congo’s restive east.

“Compared to previous outbreaks, this last one was the longest, the most complex and the deadliest,” Health Minister Eteni Longondo told reporters.

Congo has suffered 11 Ebola outbreaks since the virus was discovered near the Ebola River in 1976, more than double any other country.

Its equatorial forests are a natural reservoir for the virus, which causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea and is spread through contact with body fluids.

This outbreak saw 3,463 confirmed and probable cases and 2,277 deaths.

“It wasn’t easy and at times it seemed like mission impossible,” said Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization’s Africa regional director.

Even as health officials celebrated the end of one Ebola epidemic, they face another, unrelated one more than 1,000 km (620 miles) away in the western city of Mbandaka.

That outbreak, declared on June 1, has seen up to 24 cases so far, including 13 deaths.

Longondo he said he expected the response there to be easier because it is in a more stable part of the country where a previous epidemic in 2018 was quickly controlled.

In eastern Congo, some community leaders and local residents were suspicious of the response because they believed Ebola did not exist or resented being overlooked by donors.

Treatment centres were attacked by militia fighters who are active near Congo’s borders with Uganda and Rwanda, and by angry local residents.

The largest Ebola outbreak in history occurred in West Africa from 2013-2016. It killed over 11,300 people mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The second-largest Ebola outbreak on record is over after nearly two years and more than 2,200 deaths, Democratic Republic of Congo said on Thursday, even as a separate flare-up of the virus continued on the other side of the country.

The second-largest Ebola outbreak on record is over after nearly two years and more than 2,200 deaths, Democratic Republic of Congo said on Thursday, even as a separate flare-up of the virus continued on the other side of the country. Despite effective vaccines and treatments that dramatically boosted survival rates, the outbreak dragged on as first responders struggled to gain access to virus hotspots in Congo’s restive east. “Compared to previous outbreaks, this last one was the longest, the most complex and the deadliest,” Health Minister Eteni Longondo told reporters. Congo has suffered 11 Ebola outbreaks since the virus was discovered near the Ebola River in 1976, more than double any other country. Its equatorial forests are a natural reservoir for the virus, which causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea and is spread through contact with body fluids. This outbreak saw 3,463 confirmed and probable cases and 2,277 deaths. “It wasn’t easy and at times it seemed like mission impossible,” said Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization’s Africa regional director. Even as health officials celebrated the end of one Ebola epidemic, they face another, unrelated one more than 1,000 km (620 miles) away in the western city of Mbandaka. That outbreak, declared on June 1, has seen up to 24 cases so far, including 13 deaths. Longondo he said he expected the response there to be easier because it is in a more stable part of the country where a previous epidemic in 2018 was quickly controlled. In eastern Congo, some community leaders and local residents were suspicious of the response because they believed Ebola did not exist or resented being overlooked by donors. Treatment centres were attacked by militia fighters who are active near Congo’s borders with Uganda and Rwanda, and by angry local residents. The largest Ebola outbreak in history occurred in West Africa from 2013-2016. It killed over 11,300 people mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Congo announces end of Ebola outbreak in east, second deadliest on record

Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which continues to decimate economies and kill scores of population across the globe, a new kind of medical storm is brewing in a Central African country - Democratic Republic of Congo.

A new outbreak of Ebola was reported in the country’s northwestern areas, news agency AFP reported. The country is currently dealing with the coronavirus outbreak in the eastern parts. 
 
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/in-the-shadow-of-ebola-and-covid-19-measles-rips-through-congo-288051" hreflang="en">In the shadow of Ebola and Covid-19, measles rips through Congo</a>

This resurgence has taken the lives of four people in the city of Mbandaka, the Health Minister Eteni Longondo said in a press conference.

"The National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) has confirmed to me that samples from Mbandaka tested positive for Ebola... We will send them the vaccine and medicine very quickly" Longondo said.

<h6><img alt="pp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e75563b2-561a-4a9f-a53d-6d8fe188a0d0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-4_4.jpg" /> 
A girl is getting inoculated with an Ebola vaccine on November 22, 2019 in Goma | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

Mbandaka is the capital of Congo’s Equateur province, which serves as a transport hub alongside the Congo river and houses over a million people.&nbsp;Ebola had hit the same province in the summer months of May and July in 2018, which claimed the lives of 33 people.

Since surfacing, the Ebola epidemic has killed 2,280 people in the country’s eastern region. The government was planning to announce the country Ebola free on June 25, but with new cases resurfacing, the country has to continue fighting it.&nbsp;A similar situation had&nbsp;come up in April this year when the country was three days away from declaring itself free of Ebola.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/coronavirus-much-much-worse-says-peter-piot-ebola-discoverer-286205" hreflang="en">Coronavirus much, much worse, says Peter Piot, Ebola discoverer</a>

"This is a province that has already experienced the disease. They know how to respond. They started the response at the local level yesterday (Sunday)," Longondo said.

If no cases are reported for 42 days in a row, the country would be able to declare itself free of ebola.

This marks the eleventh outbreak in the country since 1976.

Alongside ebola, the country is battling the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed over 72 and infected over 3,000 so far.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

(With inputs from AFP)

Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which continues to decimate economies and kill scores of population across the globe, a new kind of medical storm is brewing in a Central African country - Democratic Republic of Congo.

Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which continues to decimate economies and kill scores of population across the globe, a new kind of medical storm is brewing in a Central African country - Democratic Republic of Congo. A new outbreak of Ebola was reported in the country’s northwestern areas, news agency AFP reported. The country is currently dealing with the coronavirus outbreak in the eastern parts. Also read: In the shadow of Ebola and Covid-19, measles rips through Congo This resurgence has taken the lives of four people in the city of Mbandaka, the Health Minister Eteni Longondo said in a press conference. "The National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) has confirmed to me that samples from Mbandaka tested positive for Ebola... We will send them the vaccine and medicine very quickly" Longondo said. A girl is getting inoculated with an Ebola vaccine on November 22, 2019 in Goma | AFP Mbandaka is the capital of Congo’s Equateur province, which serves as a transport hub alongside the Congo river and houses over a million people. Ebola had hit the same province in the summer months of May and July in 2018, which claimed the lives of 33 people. Since surfacing, the Ebola epidemic has killed 2,280 people in the country’s eastern region. The government was planning to announce the country Ebola free on June 25, but with new cases resurfacing, the country has to continue fighting it. A similar situation had come up in April this year when the country was three days away from declaring itself free of Ebola. Also read: Coronavirus much, much worse, says Peter Piot, Ebola discoverer "This is a province that has already experienced the disease. They know how to respond. They started the response at the local level yesterday (Sunday)," Longondo said. If no cases are reported for 42 days in a row, the country would be able to declare itself free of ebola. This marks the eleventh outbreak in the country since 1976. Alongside ebola, the country is battling the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed over 72 and infected over 3,000 so far. (With inputs from AFP)

Congo reports fresh Ebola outbreak three weeks before plans to proclaim the country disease-free

Thomas the Tank Engine beams from the front of Dobo Mambanza's ripped pullover. Unlike the cartoon train's face, Dobo's is blistered and scrunched as she struggles for breath, her eyes shuttered and weeping. The three-year-old is going blind.

Cradled by her mother, Dobo lies in the ward of a health centre in a remote town in northern Democratic Republic of Congo where mosquito nets on sticks droop over rusting metal beds, and doctors work frantically to contain a deadly virus.

Dobo does not have the new coronavirus or Ebola. She has measles, a preventable but extremely contagious disease that since January 2019 has ripped through Congo unchecked into remote regions. Some 6,400 people have died, according to official figures, though healthcare workers say the number is likely much higher because reporting rates are so low.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-facebooks-mark-zuckerberg-donates-720000-masks-to-health-workers-287990" hreflang="en">Coronavirus: Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg donates 720,000 masks to health workers</a>

"I feel guilty because I’m afraid people might say it’s because I didn't get my daughter treatment quickly," Dobo’s mother Wanea Mabele said over her writhing child’s rattling breath.

Mabele is hardly to blame. Underfunded and delayed government vaccination drives in the vast Central African nation have left millions of hard-to-reach children vulnerable.

Dud vaccines have left thousands of others at risk without knowing, local and international health workers say, in a nation of 81 million people that is ten times the size of Britain.

Coronavirus, Ebola divert attention

Complicating matters, authorities have funnelled hundreds of millions of dollars and manpower into a 19-month Ebola outbreak in the east that has killed over 2,000 people, weakening efforts to contain measles, health officials say. Ebola is finally on the wane, but COVID-19 threatens to steal the limelight.

After a first case in the capital Kinshasa this month, reported infections rose to 18 by the weekend.

"Priority will be given to COVID-19 in the coming weeks or months depending on the trend of the disease. Consequently, we will face challenges in resources mobilization for measles," said Vincent Sodjinou, who leads the measles response for the World Heath Organization (WHO).

Measles is on the rise globally, but Congo is worst hit.

The disease, contracted when a carrier coughs or sneezes, carries risks of brain damage, blindness and deafness.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/with-lockdown-due-to-coronavirus-is-the-world-staring-at-another-great-depression-287950" hreflang="en">With lockdown due to coronavirus, is the world staring at another Great Depression?</a>

Dobo’s ward sits among the palm and mango trees of Busu-Mandji, a dilapidated old colonial town deep in the jungle, 1,000 kilometres (621 miles) from Kinshasa. The nearest paved road is 125 km south in the city of Lisala.

Keeping vaccines refrigerated for the duration of the journey from the capital is vital but tricky. On a recent vaccination campaign, medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) flew 2,700 vials to Lisala in large cool boxes fitted with digital thermometers to ensure the temperature remains between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius in the equatorial heat.

In Lisala, the boxes were lashed to the back of a dozen motorbikes for a ten-hour ride along bamboo-thronged dirt tracks and precarious log bridges too pitted for 4X4 vehicles.

During the 10-hour ride to Busu-Mandji, the convoy was halted by three flat tyres, engine trouble and a broken chain. MSF workers said the vaccines remained in the right temperature range.

Tiny Graves

Congo's government has year-round vaccination campaigns, but there was no emergency response targeting high risk areas until an October-December 2019 campaign. When the government vaccines did finally come, health workers say some may have overheated.

Malnutrition and poorly-trained health workers make the vaccine, normally 85% effective, less efficient.

The health ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

Mada Maddow lives at the edge of Macau, a village near Busu-Mandji where front gardens are peppered with tiny plots of freshly-turned earth, each a child's grave.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/are-inadequate-testing-techniques-causing-silent-carriers-to-spread-covid-19-288044" hreflang="en">Are inadequate testing techniques causing 'silent carriers' to spread COVID-19?</a>

Her seven children were vaccinated in the December campaign, she said, but they all subsequently contracted measles. One died.

It is unclear why the vaccines failed.

Official statistics suggest 100% of children have been vaccinated in the area, said Mushadi Gidion, a local official from the health ministry.

But that calculation is based on 1984 census data: health workers have no idea how many children actually need vaccinating, and there is no data on the effectiveness of the vaccine after it is administered in this setting.

"There can be many causes that can lead to the epidemic," Mushadi said. "Perhaps our vaccination campaign was not of high quality."

Thomas the Tank Engine beams from the front of Dobo Mambanza's ripped pullover. Unlike the cartoon train's face, Dobo's is blistered and scrunched as she struggles for breath, her eyes shuttered and weeping.

Thomas the Tank Engine beams from the front of Dobo Mambanza's ripped pullover. Unlike the cartoon train's face, Dobo's is blistered and scrunched as she struggles for breath, her eyes shuttered and weeping. The three-year-old is going blind. Cradled by her mother, Dobo lies in the ward of a health centre in a remote town in northern Democratic Republic of Congo where mosquito nets on sticks droop over rusting metal beds, and doctors work frantically to contain a deadly virus. Dobo does not have the new coronavirus or Ebola. She has measles, a preventable but extremely contagious disease that since January 2019 has ripped through Congo unchecked into remote regions. Some 6,400 people have died, according to official figures, though healthcare workers say the number is likely much higher because reporting rates are so low. Also read: Coronavirus: Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg donates 720,000 masks to health workers "I feel guilty because I’m afraid people might say it’s because I didn't get my daughter treatment quickly," Dobo’s mother Wanea Mabele said over her writhing child’s rattling breath. Mabele is hardly to blame. Underfunded and delayed government vaccination drives in the vast Central African nation have left millions of hard-to-reach children vulnerable. Dud vaccines have left thousands of others at risk without knowing, local and international health workers say, in a nation of 81 million people that is ten times the size of Britain. Coronavirus, Ebola divert attention Complicating matters, authorities have funnelled hundreds of millions of dollars and manpower into a 19-month Ebola outbreak in the east that has killed over 2,000 people, weakening efforts to contain measles, health officials say. Ebola is finally on the wane, but COVID-19 threatens to steal the limelight. After a first case in the capital Kinshasa this month, reported infections rose to 18 by the weekend. "Priority will be given to COVID-19 in the coming weeks or months depending on the trend of the disease. Consequently, we will face challenges in resources mobilization for measles," said Vincent Sodjinou, who leads the measles response for the World Heath Organization (WHO). Measles is on the rise globally, but Congo is worst hit. The disease, contracted when a carrier coughs or sneezes, carries risks of brain damage, blindness and deafness. Also read: With lockdown due to coronavirus, is the world staring at another Great Depression? Dobo’s ward sits among the palm and mango trees of Busu-Mandji, a dilapidated old colonial town deep in the jungle, 1,000 kilometres (621 miles) from Kinshasa. The nearest paved road is 125 km south in the city of Lisala. Keeping vaccines refrigerated for the duration of the journey from the capital is vital but tricky. On a recent vaccination campaign, medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) flew 2,700 vials to Lisala in large cool boxes fitted with digital thermometers to ensure the temperature remains between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius in the equatorial heat. In Lisala, the boxes were lashed to the back of a dozen motorbikes for a ten-hour ride along bamboo-thronged dirt tracks and precarious log bridges too pitted for 4X4 vehicles. During the 10-hour ride to Busu-Mandji, the convoy was halted by three flat tyres, engine trouble and a broken chain. MSF workers said the vaccines remained in the right temperature range. Tiny Graves Congo's government has year-round vaccination campaigns, but there was no emergency response targeting high risk areas until an October-December 2019 campaign. When the government vaccines did finally come, health workers say some may have overheated. Malnutrition and poorly-trained health workers make the vaccine, normally 85% effective, less efficient. The health ministry did not respond to requests for comment. Mada Maddow lives at the edge of Macau, a village near Busu-Mandji where front gardens are peppered with tiny plots of freshly-turned earth, each a child's grave. Also read: Are inadequate testing techniques causing 'silent carriers' to spread COVID-19? Her seven children were vaccinated in the December campaign, she said, but they all subsequently contracted measles. One died. It is unclear why the vaccines failed. Official statistics suggest 100% of children have been vaccinated in the area, said Mushadi Gidion, a local official from the health ministry. But that calculation is based on 1984 census data: health workers have no idea how many children actually need vaccinating, and there is no data on the effectiveness of the vaccine after it is administered in this setting. "There can be many causes that can lead to the epidemic," Mushadi said. "Perhaps our vaccination campaign was not of high quality."

In the shadow of Ebola and Covid-19, measles rips through Congo

In a major revelation, the man who co-discovered the Ebola virus has warned that the new coronavirus is "much, much worse" than Ebola.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-coronavirus-case-traced-to-november-17-in-wuhan-report-286245">Also Read:&nbsp;First coronavirus case traced to November 17 in Wuhan</a>

Peter Piot said that unlike Ebola, which requires close contact with a victim, the new virus was "very infectious".

Watch Video:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/coronavirus-outbreak-total-infected-toll-leaps-to-15113-in-italy-286229/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Piot said the new coronavirus was more dangerous as the virus is literally something you can catch by just talking to somebody,

Professor Peter Piot co-discovered the Ebola virus in Zaire while working at the institute of tropical medicine in Antwerp, Belgium. Its average fatality rate is 50 per cent, although in some previous outbreaks it has been as high as 90 per cent.

"This is much, much worse than Ebola. Ebola requires very close contact for transmission. People are very scared of it but frankly, it is usually very contained. I mean, we have some exceptions,"&nbsp;Piot said.

"But it's because it (new coronavirus) is a respiratory transmitted virus that makes it so worrisome. And it's very infectious because there's so much virus in the throat. So this is literally something you can catch by just talking to somebody," he added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/100000-likely-coronavirus-cases-in-ohio-us-health-official-286226">Also Read:&nbsp;100,000 likely coronavirus cases in Ohio, says US health official</a>

Peter Piot, currently the director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, equated the coronavirus outbreak with the Spanish flu.

The influenza outbreak infected 500 million around the world in 1918 and killed an estimated 50 million people. However,&nbsp;he pointed out that at least this time around, the world was better equipped through antibiotics and specialist medical tools.

"It's like back to the times of the Spanish flu, 100 years ago, where that killed, you know, 50 million people. However, we have antibiotics that can treat pneumonia, there are respirators, we are better equipped," he asserted.

In a major revelation, the man who co-discovered the Ebola virus has warned that the new coronavirus is "much, much worse" than Ebola. Also Read: First coronavirus case traced to November 17 in Wuhan Peter Piot said that unlike Ebola, which requires close contact with a victim, the new virus was "very infectious".

In a major revelation, the man who co-discovered the Ebola virus has warned that the new coronavirus is "much, much worse" than Ebola. Also Read: First coronavirus case traced to November 17 in Wuhan Peter Piot said that unlike Ebola, which requires close contact with a victim, the new virus was "very infectious". Watch Video: Piot said the new coronavirus was more dangerous as the virus is literally something you can catch by just talking to somebody, Professor Peter Piot co-discovered the Ebola virus in Zaire while working at the institute of tropical medicine in Antwerp, Belgium. Its average fatality rate is 50 per cent, although in some previous outbreaks it has been as high as 90 per cent. "This is much, much worse than Ebola. Ebola requires very close contact for transmission. People are very scared of it but frankly, it is usually very contained. I mean, we have some exceptions," Piot said. "But it's because it (new coronavirus) is a respiratory transmitted virus that makes it so worrisome. And it's very infectious because there's so much virus in the throat. So this is literally something you can catch by just talking to somebody," he added. Also Read: 100,000 likely coronavirus cases in Ohio, says US health official Peter Piot, currently the director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, equated the coronavirus outbreak with the Spanish flu. The influenza outbreak infected 500 million around the world in 1918 and killed an estimated 50 million people. However, he pointed out that at least this time around, the world was better equipped through antibiotics and specialist medical tools. "It's like back to the times of the Spanish flu, 100 years ago, where that killed, you know, 50 million people. However, we have antibiotics that can treat pneumonia, there are respirators, we are better equipped," he asserted.

Coronavirus much, much worse, says Peter Piot, Ebola discoverer

The new coronavirus is "Much, much worse" than E bola.

A total of 2,231 people have died out of 3,373 declared cases of Ebola in the current epidemic in the DR Congo, according to the agency overseeing the response, health officials said Sunday.

Deadly unrest in the fragile state has hampered the fight against the disease during the latest epidemic, which broke out on August 1, 2018, with the eastern provinces of North Kivu and Ituri particularly badly hit.

Both areas, beset by violence for two decades, have seen repeated attacks on Ebola health workers by dozens of armed groups as well as on health sites set up to treat victims.

More than 200 civilians have been killed in the troubled east since November in clashes blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militia group of Ugandan origin which officials blame for a string of massacres in recent weeks.

Health authorities meanwhile said Sunday that 341 suspected Ebola cases were being investigated, a day after the Multisectoral Committee for Epidemic Response (CMRE) monitoring the disease unveiled its latest batch of data Saturday.

The current epidemic is the tenth overall and the second deadliest on record since a 2014-16 outbreak struck west Africa, killing more than 11,300.

A total of 2,231 people have died out of 3,373 declared cases of Ebola in the current epidemic in the DR Congo, according to the agency overseeing the response, health officials said Sunday.

A total of 2,231 people have died out of 3,373 declared cases of Ebola in the current epidemic in the DR Congo, according to the agency overseeing the response, health officials said Sunday. Deadly unrest in the fragile state has hampered the fight against the disease during the latest epidemic, which broke out on August 1, 2018, with the eastern provinces of North Kivu and Ituri particularly badly hit. Both areas, beset by violence for two decades, have seen repeated attacks on Ebola health workers by dozens of armed groups as well as on health sites set up to treat victims. More than 200 civilians have been killed in the troubled east since November in clashes blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militia group of Ugandan origin which officials blame for a string of massacres in recent weeks. Health authorities meanwhile said Sunday that 341 suspected Ebola cases were being investigated, a day after the Multisectoral Committee for Epidemic Response (CMRE) monitoring the disease unveiled its latest batch of data Saturday. The current epidemic is the tenth overall and the second deadliest on record since a 2014-16 outbreak struck west Africa, killing more than 11,300.

DR Congo Ebola death toll 2,231 to date: Report

Johnson & Johnson, the producer of a new vaccine aimed at protecting people against the Ebola virus, announced on Sunday it would be providing 200,000 Ebola vaccines to Rwanda to stop the virus spreading from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Vaccination programme begins to stop Ebola spread

Three Ebola workers in eastern DR Congo have been killed, adding to the toll of people who have died fighting the nearly 16-month-old epidemic, a local UN source said Thursday.

A person working for the Congolese health ministry and two drivers were killed overnight Wednesday when an armed group attacked a complex in Biakato, Ituri province, where Ebola workers lived, the source said.

One person is reported missing and five others wounded, the source said.

Another attack, in Mangina, which is also in Ituri province, was repelled.

"Attacks by armed groups in Biakato Mines and Mangina in #DRC have resulted in deaths and injuries amongst #Ebola responders," World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a tweet.&nbsp;

"We are heartbroken that our worst fears have been realised. Our focus is caring for the wounded and ensuring staff at other locations are safe."

An outbreak of the much-feared haemorrhagic virus has killed 2,199 in North and South Kivu and Ituri provinces since August 1, 2018, according to the latest official figures.

It is the Democratic Republic of Congo's 10th Ebola epidemic and the second deadliest on record after an outbreak that struck West Africa in 2014-16, claiming more than 11,300 lives.

Insecurity has complicated the epidemic from the outset, compounding resistance within communities to preventative measures, care facilities and safe burials.

On November 4, the authorities said more than 300 attacks on Ebola health workers had been recorded since the start of the year, leaving six dead and 70 wounded, some of them patients.&nbsp;

Vast tracts of eastern DRC are in the grip of armed groups, especially a shadowy militia called the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

The armed forces launched an offensive in the region on October 30, prompting a wave of massacres of civilians by suspected ADF men.

Ninety-nine people have been killed by armed groups in the Beni area alone since November 5, according to the not-for-profit Congo Research Group (CRG).

The bloodshed has sparked a wave of anger at the authorities and the UN mission in the DRC, MONUSCO. Seven people have died in protests since Saturday.

Three Ebola workers in eastern DR Congo have been killed, adding to the toll of people who have died fighting the nearly 16-month-old epidemic, a local UN source said Thursday.

Three Ebola workers in eastern DR Congo have been killed, adding to the toll of people who have died fighting the nearly 16-month-old epidemic, a local UN source said Thursday. A person working for the Congolese health ministry and two drivers were killed overnight Wednesday when an armed group attacked a complex in Biakato, Ituri province, where Ebola workers lived, the source said. One person is reported missing and five others wounded, the source said. Another attack, in Mangina, which is also in Ituri province, was repelled. "Attacks by armed groups in Biakato Mines and Mangina in #DRC have resulted in deaths and injuries amongst #Ebola responders," World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a tweet. "We are heartbroken that our worst fears have been realised. Our focus is caring for the wounded and ensuring staff at other locations are safe." An outbreak of the much-feared haemorrhagic virus has killed 2,199 in North and South Kivu and Ituri provinces since August 1, 2018, according to the latest official figures. It is the Democratic Republic of Congo's 10th Ebola epidemic and the second deadliest on record after an outbreak that struck West Africa in 2014-16, claiming more than 11,300 lives. Insecurity has complicated the epidemic from the outset, compounding resistance within communities to preventative measures, care facilities and safe burials. On November 4, the authorities said more than 300 attacks on Ebola health workers had been recorded since the start of the year, leaving six dead and 70 wounded, some of them patients. Vast tracts of eastern DRC are in the grip of armed groups, especially a shadowy militia called the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). The armed forces launched an offensive in the region on October 30, prompting a wave of massacres of civilians by suspected ADF men. Ninety-nine people have been killed by armed groups in the Beni area alone since November 5, according to the not-for-profit Congo Research Group (CRG). The bloodshed has sparked a wave of anger at the authorities and the UN mission in the DRC, MONUSCO. Seven people have died in protests since Saturday.

Three Ebola workers killed in troubled eastern DR Congo: UN

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/children-ready-to-lead-fight-against-pollution-as-climate-crisis-claims-over-9-lakh-lives-since-2016-262150">World Health Organization (WHO) </a>and the UN&nbsp;Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday evacuated dozens of their staff working on the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-chief-expresses-solidarity-with-ebola-hit-dr-congo-247054"> Ebola </a>epidemic from the town of Beni in the Democratic Republic of Congo due to the worsening security situation.

Rebels believed to belong to the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-says-peacekeeper-killed-in-attack-on-dr-congo-base-21157"> Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)</a> killed eight people in an overnight raid on Sunday.

Residents angry at the perceived inaction of both the government and a UN&nbsp;peacekeeping mission then set fire to the mayor's office and several UN&nbsp;buildings on Monday. At least two people were killed in clashes with police.

WHO&nbsp;spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a news briefing in Geneva that 49 non-essential staff were flown on Tuesday morning to the eastern city of Goma, where they will continue working,

"Seventy-one remains on the spot at this point to ensure as good as possible or at least the minimum support to the Ebola response," Lindmeier said.

"The frustration, the anger of the population on the ground is very much understandable. But we need law and order restored in order to carry out vital operations," he said.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-in-three-young-children-undernourished-or-overweight-unicef-255958">UN&nbsp;Children's Fund (UNICEF)</a> has temporarily relocated 27 staff, leaving 12 in Beni, spokeswoman Marixie Mercado said.

Dr Michael Ryan, executive director of the&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;Health Emergencies Programme, said on Friday that about 360 people were at potential risk of Ebola after contact with an infected person in eastern Congo, yet many of them were out of reach due to clashes and insecurity.

"The violence has to stop, we have enough areas where we cannot go due to violence, military violence or rebel violence going on. So this is very bad for the Ebola response," Lindmeier told the briefing.

There have been 3,303 cases of Ebola, including 2,199 deaths, in the outbreak that was declared in August 2018. The&nbsp;WHO&nbsp;declared it an international emergency in July 2019.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday evacuated dozens of their staff working on the Ebola epidemic from the town of Beni in the Democratic Republic of Congo due to the worsening security situation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday evacuated dozens of their staff working on the Ebola epidemic from the town of Beni in the Democratic Republic of Congo due to the worsening security situation. Rebels believed to belong to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) killed eight people in an overnight raid on Sunday. Residents angry at the perceived inaction of both the government and a UN peacekeeping mission then set fire to the mayor's office and several UN buildings on Monday. At least two people were killed in clashes with police. WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a news briefing in Geneva that 49 non-essential staff were flown on Tuesday morning to the eastern city of Goma, where they will continue working, "Seventy-one remains on the spot at this point to ensure as good as possible or at least the minimum support to the Ebola response," Lindmeier said. "The frustration, the anger of the population on the ground is very much understandable. But we need law and order restored in order to carry out vital operations," he said. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has temporarily relocated 27 staff, leaving 12 in Beni, spokeswoman Marixie Mercado said. Dr Michael Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, said on Friday that about 360 people were at potential risk of Ebola after contact with an infected person in eastern Congo, yet many of them were out of reach due to clashes and insecurity. "The violence has to stop, we have enough areas where we cannot go due to violence, military violence or rebel violence going on. So this is very bad for the Ebola response," Lindmeier told the briefing. There have been 3,303 cases of Ebola, including 2,199 deaths, in the outbreak that was declared in August 2018. The WHO declared it an international emergency in July 2019.

WHO, UNICEF evacuate 76 staff from Ebola teams in Congo due to insecurity

U.N. peacekeepers should progressively withdraw from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-shipment-of-new-ebola-vaccine-arrives-in-dr-congo-259539">DR&nbsp;Congo</a>&nbsp;by the end of 2022 at the earliest, a strategic review said Wednesday, in the first tentative timeline to exit a country grappling with militia violence and Ebola.

The report comes as 10 civilians were killed in an attack in the eastern&nbsp;Democratic Republic of&nbsp;Congo&nbsp;blamed on an Islamist-rooted armed group based in Uganda, as the army launches a sweeping offensive against militancy that has plagued the troubled region for nearly a quarter of a century.

The United Nations's MONUSCO mission to the country,&nbsp;one of its biggest deployments encompassing some 16,000 peacekeepers,&nbsp;began two decades ago and has an annual budget of over $1 billion.&nbsp;

Its latest mandate comes to an end on December 31 and the decision to renew is made the&nbsp;U.N. Security Council.&nbsp;

A review for the Council said that the "timeline for an exit of MONUSCO should be an absolute minimum of three years", in an assessment of the&nbsp;U.N. presence in the country in the wake of the election of new President Felix Tshisekedi.

"With a departure at the end of 2022, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-nations-chief-urges-myanmar-to-ensure-safe-return-of-rohingya-259659">U.N.</a> would be in a better position to ensure a responsible transition, if the reforms announced by the new authorities remain on track and the conditions for the best-case scenario materialise," the report said.&nbsp;

It noted, however, that there should be "red lines" that would cause the withdrawal to be paused and suggested a political mission to help "prevent a resurgence of conflict".&nbsp;

During a visit to eastern Beni in September,&nbsp;U.N. chief Antonio Guterres stressed his support for extending MONUSCO's mandate beyond the year-end and said a strategic review would help make the mission "more useful still to the Congolese people" in terms of security but also politically.

"We will do everything to bring an end to the scourge of insecurity," he said.

The&nbsp;DR&nbsp;Congo&nbsp;army announced last week that it had launched "large-scale operations" against armed militias in the country's troubled east.

In the most recent violence, members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) crossed the border from Uganda late on Tuesday and "killed 10 civilians, some with knives and others with firearms," in the locality of Kokola, Donat Kibwana, a local administrator in the restive Beni region, told AFP.

An army spokesman in the region, Major Mak Hazukay, said the ADF were "cornered" by army fire.

"That's why they try to cause terror among the population," he told AFP, declining to give a casualty toll for Tuesday's attack.

The impoverished central African country has been wracked by conflict near its eastern border, with many of the militias have evolved from the two&nbsp;Congo&nbsp;wars (1996-1997 and 1998-2003).

The Islamist-rooted ADF, which arose in western Uganda in 1995, has targeted Beni, killing hundreds of civilians over the last five years.

But there are also home-grown militia and other armed groups,&nbsp;some 130 roam the North and South Kivu provinces of&nbsp;DR&nbsp;Congo, a vast country the size of western continental Europe.

Five Great Lakes countries,&nbsp;the&nbsp;Democratic Republic of&nbsp;Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda,&nbsp;decided last month to combine their military operations in the region.

The&nbsp;U.N.'s peacekeeping mission in&nbsp;DR&nbsp;Congo&nbsp;has supported DRC troops in the region, but has ruled out backing any foreign intervention.

The Beni region, in the North Kivu province which borders Uganda and Rwanda, has been particularly affected by militia violence.

Beni is also stricken by the country's Ebola outbreak, which has killed more than 2,000 people in a year,&nbsp;two-thirds of those infected.&nbsp;

U.N. peacekeepers should progressively withdraw from DR Congo by the end of 2022 at the earliest, a strategic review said Wednesday, in the first tentative timeline to exit a country grappling with militia violence and Ebola.

U.N. peacekeepers should progressively withdraw from DR Congo by the end of 2022 at the earliest, a strategic review said Wednesday, in the first tentative timeline to exit a country grappling with militia violence and Ebola. The report comes as 10 civilians were killed in an attack in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo blamed on an Islamist-rooted armed group based in Uganda, as the army launches a sweeping offensive against militancy that has plagued the troubled region for nearly a quarter of a century. The United Nations's MONUSCO mission to the country, one of its biggest deployments encompassing some 16,000 peacekeepers, began two decades ago and has an annual budget of over $1 billion. Its latest mandate comes to an end on December 31 and the decision to renew is made the U.N. Security Council. A review for the Council said that the "timeline for an exit of MONUSCO should be an absolute minimum of three years", in an assessment of the U.N. presence in the country in the wake of the election of new President Felix Tshisekedi. "With a departure at the end of 2022, the U.N. would be in a better position to ensure a responsible transition, if the reforms announced by the new authorities remain on track and the conditions for the best-case scenario materialise," the report said. It noted, however, that there should be "red lines" that would cause the withdrawal to be paused and suggested a political mission to help "prevent a resurgence of conflict". During a visit to eastern Beni in September, U.N. chief Antonio Guterres stressed his support for extending MONUSCO's mandate beyond the year-end and said a strategic review would help make the mission "more useful still to the Congolese people" in terms of security but also politically. "We will do everything to bring an end to the scourge of insecurity," he said. The DR Congo army announced last week that it had launched "large-scale operations" against armed militias in the country's troubled east. In the most recent violence, members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) crossed the border from Uganda late on Tuesday and "killed 10 civilians, some with knives and others with firearms," in the locality of Kokola, Donat Kibwana, a local administrator in the restive Beni region, told AFP. An army spokesman in the region, Major Mak Hazukay, said the ADF were "cornered" by army fire. "That's why they try to cause terror among the population," he told AFP, declining to give a casualty toll for Tuesday's attack. The impoverished central African country has been wracked by conflict near its eastern border, with many of the militias have evolved from the two Congo wars (1996-1997 and 1998-2003). The Islamist-rooted ADF, which arose in western Uganda in 1995, has targeted Beni, killing hundreds of civilians over the last five years. But there are also home-grown militia and other armed groups, some 130 roam the North and South Kivu provinces of DR Congo, a vast country the size of western continental Europe. Five Great Lakes countries, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, decided last month to combine their military operations in the region. The U.N.'s peacekeeping mission in DR Congo has supported DRC troops in the region, but has ruled out backing any foreign intervention. The Beni region, in the North Kivu province which borders Uganda and Rwanda, has been particularly affected by militia violence. Beni is also stricken by the country's Ebola outbreak, which has killed more than 2,000 people in a year, two-thirds of those infected.

U.N. mulls slow DR Congo drawdown despite ongoing bloodshed

The Congolese medical authorities said Saturday they had received the first shipment of a new Ebola vaccine as the central African country battles its second deadliest outbreak of the virus this decade.&nbsp;

The health ministry for the eastern province of North Kivu said that a preliminary batch of 11,000 doses of the new Ad26-ZEBOV-GP vaccine manufactured by Johnson &amp; Johnson had arrived on Friday.

In all, a shipment of a total 50,000 doses is being sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo to help fight an outbreak that has killed more than 2,100 people since August 2018.&nbsp;

Until now, the only vaccine against the disease was one manufactured by US firm, Merck Sharpe and Dohme.&nbsp;

The DRC's deadliest Ebola outbreak&nbsp;since the West Africa pandemic in 2014-2016 has affected the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri and left 2,183 people dead, according to the latest official figures.&nbsp;

Since the start of the vaccination campaign on August 8, 2018, a total of 245,999 people have been vaccinated.&nbsp;

Ebola fighters have been hindered by chronic insecurity in the affected provinces of eastern DRC, but much of the controversy surrounding the response has centred on the use of vaccines.&nbsp;

The World Health Organization had been pushing Kinshasa for months to approve the use of the J&amp;J vaccine,&nbsp;an experimental product,&nbsp;to protect those living outside of direct transmission zones.&nbsp;

The J&amp;J vaccine had been rejected by DRC's former health minister Oly Ilunga, who cited the risks of introducing a new product in communities where mistrust of Ebola responders is already high.

But Ilunga's resignation in July appeared to have paved the way for the second vaccine.

Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the new head of the anti-Ebola campaign, said Friday the J&amp;J vaccine would be used from mid-November with the operation being launched simultaneously in DR Congo and Rwanda.

The Congolese medical authorities said Saturday they had received the first shipment of a new Ebola vaccine as the central African country battles its second deadliest outbreak of the virus this decade.

The Congolese medical authorities said Saturday they had received the first shipment of a new Ebola vaccine as the central African country battles its second deadliest outbreak of the virus this decade. The health ministry for the eastern province of North Kivu said that a preliminary batch of 11,000 doses of the new Ad26-ZEBOV-GP vaccine manufactured by Johnson & Johnson had arrived on Friday. In all, a shipment of a total 50,000 doses is being sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo to help fight an outbreak that has killed more than 2,100 people since August 2018. Until now, the only vaccine against the disease was one manufactured by US firm, Merck Sharpe and Dohme. The DRC's deadliest Ebola outbreak since the West Africa pandemic in 2014-2016 has affected the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri and left 2,183 people dead, according to the latest official figures. Since the start of the vaccination campaign on August 8, 2018, a total of 245,999 people have been vaccinated. Ebola fighters have been hindered by chronic insecurity in the affected provinces of eastern DRC, but much of the controversy surrounding the response has centred on the use of vaccines. The World Health Organization had been pushing Kinshasa for months to approve the use of the J&J vaccine, an experimental product, to protect those living outside of direct transmission zones. The J&J vaccine had been rejected by DRC's former health minister Oly Ilunga, who cited the risks of introducing a new product in communities where mistrust of Ebola responders is already high. But Ilunga's resignation in July appeared to have paved the way for the second vaccine. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the new head of the anti-Ebola campaign, said Friday the J&J vaccine would be used from mid-November with the operation being launched simultaneously in DR Congo and Rwanda.

First shipment of new Ebola vaccine arrives in DR Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo will introduce a second vaccine next month to combat the Ebola virus, which has killed more than 2,100 people in the country, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

The announcement came as the aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) accused the WHO of rationing the first Ebola vaccine in the DRC.

"The health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have announced plans to introduce a second experimental Ebola vaccine, manufactured by Johnson &amp; Johnson, from mid-October," the global health body said in a statement.

"This vaccine, which is given as a 2-dose course, 56 days apart, will be provided under approved protocols to targeted at-risk populations in areas that do not have active Ebola transmission as an additional tool to extend protection against the virus", they added.

Matshidiso Moeti, WHO's Regional Director for Africa, said the second vaccine "will help ensure that we have potentially an additional tool to prevent the expansion of the outbreak and also a potential tool to protect populations before outbreaks hit areas at risk."

The ongoing Ebola outbreak is the second-worst one in history after more than 11,000 people were killed in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia between 2014 and 2016.

The WHO said last week that as of September 17, DRC had registered a total of 3,145 cases of Ebola since the outbreak began over a year ago, including 2,103 deaths.

It has declared the Ebola epidemic a "public health emergency of international concern".

Around 225,000 people have received the Ebola vaccine manufactured by the German pharma giant Merck since August 8, 2018.

'Insufficient' 
 
But the MSF said earlier Monday that "this number remains largely insufficient".

"One of the main problems currently is the fact that in practice the vaccine is rationed by the WHO and that too few people at risk are protected today," MSF said in a statement.

The WHO denied limiting the availability of the drug, saying it was doing "everything possible" to end the epidemic.

The UN's health agency has been pushing for the introduction of the second vaccine, but the DRC health ministry under former minister Oly Ilunga had resisted such a move, citing the risks of introducing a new product in communities where mistrust of Ebola responders is already high.

Ilunga stepped down on July 22 after being replaced as the head of the country's Ebola response effort.

He has since been charged with embezzling funds allotted for the Ebola fight, according to his lawyers who reject the allegations saying accounts prove that public funds were used "exclusively" for the anti-Ebola effort.

WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, praised the latest decision by DRC authorities, who he said, "Have once again shown leadership and their determination to end this outbreak as soon as possible".

The Democratic Republic of the Congo will introduce a second vaccine next month to combat the Ebola virus, which has killed more than 2,100 people in the country, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo will introduce a second vaccine next month to combat the Ebola virus, which has killed more than 2,100 people in the country, the World Health Organization said on Monday. The announcement came as the aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) accused the WHO of rationing the first Ebola vaccine in the DRC. "The health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have announced plans to introduce a second experimental Ebola vaccine, manufactured by Johnson & Johnson, from mid-October," the global health body said in a statement. "This vaccine, which is given as a 2-dose course, 56 days apart, will be provided under approved protocols to targeted at-risk populations in areas that do not have active Ebola transmission as an additional tool to extend protection against the virus", they added. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO's Regional Director for Africa, said the second vaccine "will help ensure that we have potentially an additional tool to prevent the expansion of the outbreak and also a potential tool to protect populations before outbreaks hit areas at risk." The ongoing Ebola outbreak is the second-worst one in history after more than 11,000 people were killed in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia between 2014 and 2016. The WHO said last week that as of September 17, DRC had registered a total of 3,145 cases of Ebola since the outbreak began over a year ago, including 2,103 deaths. It has declared the Ebola epidemic a "public health emergency of international concern". Around 225,000 people have received the Ebola vaccine manufactured by the German pharma giant Merck since August 8, 2018. 'Insufficient' But the MSF said earlier Monday that "this number remains largely insufficient". "One of the main problems currently is the fact that in practice the vaccine is rationed by the WHO and that too few people at risk are protected today," MSF said in a statement. The WHO denied limiting the availability of the drug, saying it was doing "everything possible" to end the epidemic. The UN's health agency has been pushing for the introduction of the second vaccine, but the DRC health ministry under former minister Oly Ilunga had resisted such a move, citing the risks of introducing a new product in communities where mistrust of Ebola responders is already high. Ilunga stepped down on July 22 after being replaced as the head of the country's Ebola response effort. He has since been charged with embezzling funds allotted for the Ebola fight, according to his lawyers who reject the allegations saying accounts prove that public funds were used "exclusively" for the anti-Ebola effort. WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, praised the latest decision by DRC authorities, who he said, "Have once again shown leadership and their determination to end this outbreak as soon as possible".

Democratic Republic of Congo to receive second Ebola vaccine in mid-october: World Health Organisation

As health agencies battle to stop the spread of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/timeline-how-a-congo-ebola-outbreak-became-a-global-concern-236967">Ebola virus in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)</a>, some survivors of the disease are playing a crucial role in aiding the victims of the worst outbreak in the country's history.

More than 2,100 people have died from Ebola in DRC since the hemorrhagic fever resurfaced in August 2018.

Containment efforts have been hindered by the conflict in the country's east, as well as attacks on health workers tackling Ebola in a population where mistrust of outsiders and superstition is rife.

That's where survivors come in.

A 35-year-old doctor who identified himself as Maurice, contracted the virus while caring for a patient in July 2018 before the outbreak was officially confirmed.

He then passed the disease on to his wife, Esperance.

Both survived and Maurice is now the head of the Ebola survivors association for the response to the outbreak.

Survivors of Ebola become immune to the disease, allowing them to interact with sufferers without protective clothing.

Ebola is contagious and causes patients to often die from dehydration and multiple organ failure.

Viannay Kambale, 31, survived the virus and now works with patients at an Ebola treatment centre, as he has immunity.

Another survivor, Claude Mabowa, lost his mother, a brother, and a sister to Ebola, according to an NGO called Alima.

"There are people who approach me, and others are moving away", the 21-year-old said, about peoples' reaction to him in public.

"It bothered me a lot", he told a local Kinshasa radio station.

United Nations (UN) Chief Antonio Guterres visited Beni in the country's Ebola-plagued eastern Congo earlier this month and urged people who might be infected to visit their nearest health centre for a checkup.

"It is worth coming. There are people who might think: 'Well, I'm going to die, why should I go? No, it's not true. Those who come here can be cured. We must transmit this message to everybody. Don't hide your symptoms. Come", he said after meeting Ebola survivors.

The ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ebola-death-toll-in-east-congo-outbreak-climbs-above-2000-246590">Ebola outbreak</a> is the second-worst one in history after more than 11,000 people were killed in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia between 2014 and 2016.

As health agencies battle to stop the spread of the Ebola virus in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), some survivors of the disease are playing a crucial role in aiding the victims of the worst outbreak in the country's history.

As health agencies battle to stop the spread of the Ebola virus in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), some survivors of the disease are playing a crucial role in aiding the victims of the worst outbreak in the country's history. More than 2,100 people have died from Ebola in DRC since the hemorrhagic fever resurfaced in August 2018. Containment efforts have been hindered by the conflict in the country's east, as well as attacks on health workers tackling Ebola in a population where mistrust of outsiders and superstition is rife. That's where survivors come in. A 35-year-old doctor who identified himself as Maurice, contracted the virus while caring for a patient in July 2018 before the outbreak was officially confirmed. He then passed the disease on to his wife, Esperance. Both survived and Maurice is now the head of the Ebola survivors association for the response to the outbreak. Survivors of Ebola become immune to the disease, allowing them to interact with sufferers without protective clothing. Ebola is contagious and causes patients to often die from dehydration and multiple organ failure. Viannay Kambale, 31, survived the virus and now works with patients at an Ebola treatment centre, as he has immunity. Another survivor, Claude Mabowa, lost his mother, a brother, and a sister to Ebola, according to an NGO called Alima. "There are people who approach me, and others are moving away", the 21-year-old said, about peoples' reaction to him in public. "It bothered me a lot", he told a local Kinshasa radio station. United Nations (UN) Chief Antonio Guterres visited Beni in the country's Ebola-plagued eastern Congo earlier this month and urged people who might be infected to visit their nearest health centre for a checkup. "It is worth coming. There are people who might think: 'Well, I'm going to die, why should I go? No, it's not true. Those who come here can be cured. We must transmit this message to everybody. Don't hide your symptoms. Come", he said after meeting Ebola survivors. The ongoing Ebola outbreak is the second-worst one in history after more than 11,000 people were killed in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia between 2014 and 2016.

Ebola survivors in Congo play a crucial role in helping other victims

UN chief Antonio Guterres started a three-day tour of the Democratic Republic of Congo Saturday, expressing "solidarity" with a region ravaged by violence and an Ebola epidemic.

The UN secretary-general first visited Goma, the capital of North Kivu province which is trying to roll back an epidemic of Ebola that has <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ebola-death-toll-in-east-congo-outbreak-climbs-above-2000-246590">claimed more than 2,000 lives</a> in a year. &nbsp;

Guterres was received by Leila Zerrougui, his special representative in DR Congo.&nbsp;

The two did not shake hands, in line with health protocols aimed at curbing the spread of the highly infectious and very often fatal disease.

Guterres said he had come to express his support "with the armed forces of DRC in the fight against terrorism" which represents "a threat not only for the Congo but the whole of Africa."

The UN peacekeeping mission in the country known by its French acronym MONUSCO comprises some 16,000 troops and has an annual budget of over $1 billion.

A total of 130 militias and armed groups roam the North and South Kivu provinces of DR Congo, a vast country the size of western continental Europe.

At a centre for demobilised former militia fighters in Goma, Guterres appealed to the militias to choose peace.

"It's always possible to choose peace," he said, urging all combatants to come "to a centre like this (for) a new life in peace in their home community."

He added he had heard moving testimony from people living in the bush under the illusion that by being in an armed group they could have a better life. The reality, he insisted, was that meant "a tragic life, a life without a future."

According to the Group of Experts on Congo from New York University and Human Rights Watch, armed groups killed 1,900 civilians and kidnapped more than 3,300 people in the region between June 2017 and June 2019.

Watch: Ebola death toll tops 2,000 in eastern Congo outbreak

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- Ebola toll rising -

The demobilisation of militias is a priority for MONUSCO, which has been present in the DR Congo since 1999.

On Sunday, Guterres will visit Beni, one of the epicentres of the Ebola epidemic, about 350 kilometres (220 miles) north of Goma. &nbsp;

DR Congo health officials said late Thursday that there have been "2,006 deaths (1,901 confirmed and 105 probable)" since August 2018.

It is the second-worst Ebola outbreak in history after more than 11,000 people were killed in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia between 2014 and 2016.

Containment efforts have been hindered by the conflict in the country's east, as well as attacks on health workers tackling Ebola.

Guterres will visit the remote area of Mangina in the bush outside Beni, where the epidemic first broke out at the end of July 2018, visiting a treatment centre and meeting survivors and health workers.

As the battle against Ebola continues, former health minister Oly Ilunga, who stepped down after criticising plans by the UN's World Health Organization to introduce a second, unlicensed vaccine to the country, has been banned from leaving the country pending a probe into improper use of public funds, according to migration service documents seen by AFP on Saturday.

Ilunga has been questioned as part of an inquiry into the misuse of Ebola funds. Shortly before he stepped down, the minister was replaced by President Felix Tshisekedi as the head of the country's Ebola response team.

- Militia attacks -

Apart from Ebola, Beni has been reeling under militia attacks since October 2014 with civilians and farmers bearing the brunt of the violence.

Most of the killings have been attributed to the Islamist-rooted Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) &nbsp;group that arose in western Uganda in 1995 and has been accused of butchering hundreds of civilians.

"We are entirely by the side of the Congolese authorities in the fight against ADF," Guterres said in Goma.

The country's armed forces Saturday put at 1,662 the number of soldiers killed since 2014 fighting the ADF in and around Beni.

ADF fighters have also targeted UN troops, killing 15 people in an attack in December.

Under the terms of its latest mandate spanning April to December this year, the UN has closed bases in the DR Congo, reviewed its intervention strategy and cut civilian staff by 764 since the beginning of July.

But in Beni, prominent locals called for the UN to beef up the capacity of its rapid intervention force.

"We want more military means to be put at their disposal to finish the ADF in Beni," mayor Bwanakawa Masumbuko said.

Guterres will end his tour in the capital Kinshasa, where he will meet Tshisekedi, who recently unveiled a new coalition government after a delay of nearly eight months.

UN chief Antonio Guterres started a three-day tour of the Democratic Republic of Congo Saturday, expressing "solidarity" with a region ravaged by violence and an Ebola epidemic.

UN chief Antonio Guterres started a three-day tour of the Democratic Republic of Congo Saturday, expressing "solidarity" with a region ravaged by violence and an Ebola epidemic. The UN secretary-general first visited Goma, the capital of North Kivu province which is trying to roll back an epidemic of Ebola that has claimed more than 2,000 lives in a year. Guterres was received by Leila Zerrougui, his special representative in DR Congo. The two did not shake hands, in line with health protocols aimed at curbing the spread of the highly infectious and very often fatal disease. Guterres said he had come to express his support "with the armed forces of DRC in the fight against terrorism" which represents "a threat not only for the Congo but the whole of Africa." The UN peacekeeping mission in the country known by its French acronym MONUSCO comprises some 16,000 troops and has an annual budget of over $1 billion. A total of 130 militias and armed groups roam the North and South Kivu provinces of DR Congo, a vast country the size of western continental Europe. At a centre for demobilised former militia fighters in Goma, Guterres appealed to the militias to choose peace. "It's always possible to choose peace," he said, urging all combatants to come "to a centre like this (for) a new life in peace in their home community." He added he had heard moving testimony from people living in the bush under the illusion that by being in an armed group they could have a better life. The reality, he insisted, was that meant "a tragic life, a life without a future." According to the Group of Experts on Congo from New York University and Human Rights Watch, armed groups killed 1,900 civilians and kidnapped more than 3,300 people in the region between June 2017 and June 2019. Watch: Ebola death toll tops 2,000 in eastern Congo outbreak × - Ebola toll rising - The demobilisation of militias is a priority for MONUSCO, which has been present in the DR Congo since 1999. On Sunday, Guterres will visit Beni, one of the epicentres of the Ebola epidemic, about 350 kilometres (220 miles) north of Goma. DR Congo health officials said late Thursday that there have been "2,006 deaths (1,901 confirmed and 105 probable)" since August 2018. It is the second-worst Ebola outbreak in history after more than 11,000 people were killed in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia between 2014 and 2016. Containment efforts have been hindered by the conflict in the country's east, as well as attacks on health workers tackling Ebola. Guterres will visit the remote area of Mangina in the bush outside Beni, where the epidemic first broke out at the end of July 2018, visiting a treatment centre and meeting survivors and health workers. As the battle against Ebola continues, former health minister Oly Ilunga, who stepped down after criticising plans by the UN's World Health Organization to introduce a second, unlicensed vaccine to the country, has been banned from leaving the country pending a probe into improper use of public funds, according to migration service documents seen by AFP on Saturday. Ilunga has been questioned as part of an inquiry into the misuse of Ebola funds. Shortly before he stepped down, the minister was replaced by President Felix Tshisekedi as the head of the country's Ebola response team. - Militia attacks - Apart from Ebola, Beni has been reeling under militia attacks since October 2014 with civilians and farmers bearing the brunt of the violence. Most of the killings have been attributed to the Islamist-rooted Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) group that arose in western Uganda in 1995 and has been accused of butchering hundreds of civilians. "We are entirely by the side of the Congolese authorities in the fight against ADF," Guterres said in Goma. The country's armed forces Saturday put at 1,662 the number of soldiers killed since 2014 fighting the ADF in and around Beni. ADF fighters have also targeted UN troops, killing 15 people in an attack in December. Under the terms of its latest mandate spanning April to December this year, the UN has closed bases in the DR Congo, reviewed its intervention strategy and cut civilian staff by 764 since the beginning of July. But in Beni, prominent locals called for the UN to beef up the capacity of its rapid intervention force. "We want more military means to be put at their disposal to finish the ADF in Beni," mayor Bwanakawa Masumbuko said. Guterres will end his tour in the capital Kinshasa, where he will meet Tshisekedi, who recently unveiled a new coalition government after a delay of nearly eight months.

UN chief expresses solidarity with Ebola-hit DR Congo

The death toll from Democratic Republic of Congo's year-long Ebola outbreak has climbed above 2,000, government data showed on Friday (August 30), as responders battle to overcome community mistrust and widespread security problems.

Ebola death toll tops 2,000 in eastern Congo outbreak

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed more than 2,000 lives out of a total of 3,000 recorded cases since August last year, health officials said Friday.

"In total, there have been 2,006 deaths (1,901 confirmed and 105 probable)," officials said in a bulletin dated Thursday.

"Since the start of the epidemic, the number of cases is 3,004, including 2,899 confirmed and 105 probable," it added.

The outbreak of the haemorrhagic virus began in North Kivu province in eastern DR Congo on August 1, 2018 and spread to Ituri province.

Officials also reported that some 902 people were cured of the disease.

Ebola is named after a river in northern DR Congo, formerly named Zaire, where the virus was first identified in 1976.

The latest outbreak is the second-deadliest on record after more than 11,000 people were killed in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia between 2014 and 2016.

The WHO has declared the epidemic a "public health emergency of international concern" and so far nearly 200,000 people have been vaccinated.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed more than 2,000 lives out of a total of 3,000 recorded cases since August last year, health officials said Friday.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed more than 2,000 lives out of a total of 3,000 recorded cases since August last year, health officials said Friday. "In total, there have been 2,006 deaths (1,901 confirmed and 105 probable)," officials said in a bulletin dated Thursday. "Since the start of the epidemic, the number of cases is 3,004, including 2,899 confirmed and 105 probable," it added. The outbreak of the haemorrhagic virus began in North Kivu province in eastern DR Congo on August 1, 2018 and spread to Ituri province. Officials also reported that some 902 people were cured of the disease. Ebola is named after a river in northern DR Congo, formerly named Zaire, where the virus was first identified in 1976. The latest outbreak is the second-deadliest on record after more than 11,000 people were killed in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia between 2014 and 2016. The WHO has declared the epidemic a "public health emergency of international concern" and so far nearly 200,000 people have been vaccinated.

DR Congo Ebola death toll passes 2,000: Official

The GAVI global vaccines alliance on Friday called on donors for $7.4 billion to help immunize 300 million children against life-threatening diseases between 2021 and 2025, and save up to eight million lives.

GAVI, which is backed by the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/global-measles-cases-three-times-higher-than-last-year-who-246324">World Health Organisation (WHO)</a>, donor governments and others, funds immunisation programmes for poor nations that cannot afford to buy vaccines at rich-world prices.

"Over the past two decades the Vaccine Alliance has helped to protect a generation against some of the world's deadliest diseases," GAVI CEO Seth Berkley said in a statement.

"However, 1.5 million people are still dying every year from vaccine-preventable diseases ... This calls for an urgent response to ensure people continue to be protected against disease, to prevent deadly outbreaks and to help the next generation prosper."

The announcement was made in Yokohama, where Japan is hosting a three-day international conference on African development.&nbsp;

Democratic Republic of Congo, a mineral-rich Central African country, is being hit by the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus.

The GAVI global vaccines alliance on Friday called on donors for $7.4 billion to help immunize 300 million children against life-threatening diseases between 2021 and 2025, and save up to eight million lives.

The GAVI global vaccines alliance on Friday called on donors for $7.4 billion to help immunize 300 million children against life-threatening diseases between 2021 and 2025, and save up to eight million lives. GAVI, which is backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Health Organisation (WHO), donor governments and others, funds immunisation programmes for poor nations that cannot afford to buy vaccines at rich-world prices. "Over the past two decades the Vaccine Alliance has helped to protect a generation against some of the world's deadliest diseases," GAVI CEO Seth Berkley said in a statement. "However, 1.5 million people are still dying every year from vaccine-preventable diseases ... This calls for an urgent response to ensure people continue to be protected against disease, to prevent deadly outbreaks and to help the next generation prosper." The announcement was made in Yokohama, where Japan is hosting a three-day international conference on African development. Democratic Republic of Congo, a mineral-rich Central African country, is being hit by the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus.

Vaccines group seeks $7.4 billion to save up to 8 million lives

The death toll from Democratic Republic of Congo`s year-long <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/timeline-how-a-congo-ebola-outbreak-became-a-global-concern-236967&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJi_iRkarkAhXLs48KHeXtDooQFjAAegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2fdZ9bF7hRfbw8-SoX869o">Ebola outbreak</a> has climbed above 2,000, government data showed on Friday, as responders battle to overcome community mistrust and widespread security problems.

The government team overseeing the response said the number of confirmed and probable cases had also hit a milestone of more than 3,000 in what has become the second-worst epidemic of the virus on record.

Despite the development of an effective vaccine and treatments, health workers have struggled to control the spread of the disease in remote and conflict-hit areas of eastern Congo, where many locals are wary of the response effort.

"For the treatments to work, people need to trust them and the medical staff who administer them. This will take time, resources and a lot of hard work," the International Federation of the Red Cross said in a statement.

This is Congo`s 10th Ebola outbreak, but it is the first in the densely forested hillside provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, where militia-led violence and ethnic killing have undermined security in certain areas for decades.

The government data showed Ebola deaths reaching 2,006 and cases at 3,004.

Earlier in August, the authorities came up against new fronts in their fight to contain the epidemic, fanning fears that the spread of the disease could accelerate.

Health workers confirmed the first cases in South Kivu province on August&nbsp;16. Soon after, a woman contracted the virus in a remote, militia-controlled territory in North Kivu, hundreds of kilometres away from other known cases.

"We are fighting literally (along) with all partners on the ground to reach people, to reach contacts, to identify cases as early as possible," World Health Organization spokesman Christian Lindmeier said on Tuesday.

Last week the WHO voiced concern about the widening geographic reach of the disease but confirmed the virus had not gained a foothold in the major city of Goma, even after four cases were recorded there in July and early August.

"Two thousand deaths means that there is a problem," said Timothée Buliga, a Goma resident. "We need to reach the point where we reject Ebola, say no and eradicate it definitively."

Neighbouring Uganda said on Friday that a young girl who tested positive for Ebola after crossing the border, the fourth case imported from Congo since June, would be sent back to Congo for treatment.

Only the 2013-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa has been deadlier than the current outbreak. More than 11,300 people died then out of 28,000 who were infected. 
&nbsp;

The death toll from Democratic Republic of Congo`s year-long Ebola outbreak has climbed above 2,000, government data showed on Friday, as responders battle to overcome community mistrust and widespread security problems.

The death toll from Democratic Republic of Congo`s year-long Ebola outbreak has climbed above 2,000, government data showed on Friday, as responders battle to overcome community mistrust and widespread security problems. The government team overseeing the response said the number of confirmed and probable cases had also hit a milestone of more than 3,000 in what has become the second-worst epidemic of the virus on record. Despite the development of an effective vaccine and treatments, health workers have struggled to control the spread of the disease in remote and conflict-hit areas of eastern Congo, where many locals are wary of the response effort. "For the treatments to work, people need to trust them and the medical staff who administer them. This will take time, resources and a lot of hard work," the International Federation of the Red Cross said in a statement. This is Congo`s 10th Ebola outbreak, but it is the first in the densely forested hillside provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, where militia-led violence and ethnic killing have undermined security in certain areas for decades. The government data showed Ebola deaths reaching 2,006 and cases at 3,004. Earlier in August, the authorities came up against new fronts in their fight to contain the epidemic, fanning fears that the spread of the disease could accelerate. Health workers confirmed the first cases in South Kivu province on August 16. Soon after, a woman contracted the virus in a remote, militia-controlled territory in North Kivu, hundreds of kilometres away from other known cases. "We are fighting literally (along) with all partners on the ground to reach people, to reach contacts, to identify cases as early as possible," World Health Organization spokesman Christian Lindmeier said on Tuesday. Last week the WHO voiced concern about the widening geographic reach of the disease but confirmed the virus had not gained a foothold in the major city of Goma, even after four cases were recorded there in July and early August. "Two thousand deaths means that there is a problem," said Timothée Buliga, a Goma resident. "We need to reach the point where we reject Ebola, say no and eradicate it definitively." Neighbouring Uganda said on Friday that a young girl who tested positive for Ebola after crossing the border, the fourth case imported from Congo since June, would be sent back to Congo for treatment. Only the 2013-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa has been deadlier than the current outbreak. More than 11,300 people died then out of 28,000 who were infected.

Ebola death toll in east Congo outbreak climbs above 2,000

The eastern DR Congo province of South Kivu has recorded its first confirmed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-says-no-new-ebola-cases-in-goma-vaccinates-over-1300-242273">cases of Ebola in the country's year-old epidemic</a>, one of which was a fatality, the provincial government said Friday.

"Two cases which tested positive for Ebola were confirmed overnight in South Kivu, in Lwindi district in the Mwenga region," it said in a statement.&nbsp;

"A 26-year-old victim died and (one of their) children who tested positive is still alive and being treated," it said.

More than 1,900 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo since August 1, 2018, when the hemorrhagic virus erupted in North Kivu province and spread to neighbouring Ituri province.

South Kivu Governor Theo Ngwabidje told reporters: "Teams from the national anti-Ebola coordination campaign arrived yesterday to provide support."

The Ebola virus causes fever, vomiting and severe diarrhoea, often followed by kidney and liver failure, internal and external bleeding.

The disease is spread by contact with infected bodily fluids and is fought with time-honoured but laborious techniques of tracing contacts and quarantining them.&nbsp;

The outbreak is the 10th since Ebola was identified in 1976.

It is the deadliest on record after more than 11,000 people was killed in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia between 2014-2016.

The eastern DR Congo province of South Kivu has recorded its first confirmed cases of Ebola in the country's year-old epidemic, one of which was a fatality, the provincial government said Friday.

The eastern DR Congo province of South Kivu has recorded its first confirmed cases of Ebola in the country's year-old epidemic, one of which was a fatality, the provincial government said Friday. "Two cases which tested positive for Ebola were confirmed overnight in South Kivu, in Lwindi district in the Mwenga region," it said in a statement. "A 26-year-old victim died and (one of their) children who tested positive is still alive and being treated," it said. More than 1,900 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo since August 1, 2018, when the hemorrhagic virus erupted in North Kivu province and spread to neighbouring Ituri province. South Kivu Governor Theo Ngwabidje told reporters: "Teams from the national anti-Ebola coordination campaign arrived yesterday to provide support." The Ebola virus causes fever, vomiting and severe diarrhoea, often followed by kidney and liver failure, internal and external bleeding. The disease is spread by contact with infected bodily fluids and is fought with time-honoured but laborious techniques of tracing contacts and quarantining them. The outbreak is the 10th since Ebola was identified in 1976. It is the deadliest on record after more than 11,000 people was killed in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia between 2014-2016.

First confirmed Ebola cases in DR Congo's South Kivu province

Scientists find two drugs having high survival rates

Congo Ebola Outbreak: Ebola preventable & treatable soon?

Scientists are a step closer to finding the first effective treatments for the deadly<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-ebola-case-in-congo-city-of-goma-detected-236094"> Ebola haemorrhagic fever </a>after two potential drugs showed the survival rate of as much as 90per cent in a clinical trial in Congo.

Two experimental drugs - Regeneron's&nbsp;and a monoclonal antibody called mAb114 - were both developed using antibodies harvested from survivors of Ebola infection.

The treatments are now going to be offered to all patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

They showed 'clearly better' results in patients in a trial of four potential treatments being conducted during the world's second-largest Ebola outbreak in history, now entering its second year in DRC.

The drugs improved survival rates from the disease more than two other treatments being tested - ZMapp, made by Mapp Biopharmaceutical, and Remdesivir, made by Gilead Sciences&nbsp;- and those products will be now dropped, said Anthony Fauci, one of the researchers co-leading the trial.

The agency said 49per cent of the patients on ZMapp and 53per cent on remdesivir died in the study.&nbsp;

In comparison, 29per cent of the patients on REGN-EB3 and 34per cent on mAb-114 died.

Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told reporters in a telebriefing the results were "very good news" for the fight against Ebola.

"What this means is that we do now have what look like (two) treatments for a disease for which not long ago we had no approach at all," he said.

The agency said of the patients who were brought into treatment centres with low levels of virus detected in their blood, 94per cent who got REGN-EB3 and 89per cent on mAb114 survived.

In comparison, two-thirds of the patients who got remdesivir and nearly three-fourth on ZMapp survived.

Ebola has been spreading in eastern Congo since August 2018 in an outbreak that has now become the second-largest, killing at least 1,800 people.

&nbsp;Efforts to control it have been hampered by militia violence and some local resistance to outside help.

A vast Ebola outbreak in West Africa become the world's largest-ever when it spread through Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone from 2013 to 2016 and killed more than 11,300 people.

The Congo treatment trial, which began in November last year, is being carried out by an international research group coordinated by the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-health-organization-says-e-cigarettes-undoubtedly-harmful-238779">World Health Organisation </a>(WHO).

Mike Ryan, head of the WHO's emergencies programme, said the trial's positive findings were encouraging but would not be enough on their own to bring the epidemic to an end.

"The news today is fantastic. It gives us a new tool in our toolbox against Ebola, but it will not in itself stop Ebola," he told reporters.

Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust global health charity, also hailed the success of the trial's findings, saying they would 'undoubtedly save lives'.

"The more we learn about these two treatments, the closer we can get to turning Ebola from a terrifying disease to one that is preventable and treatable," he said in a statement.

"We won't ever get rid of Ebola but we should be able to stop these outbreaks from turning into major national and regional epidemics."

Some 681 patients at four separate treatment centres in Congo have already been enrolled in the Congo treatment clinical trial, Fauci said. The study aims to enrol a total of 725.

The decision to drop two of the trial drugs was based on data from almost 500 patients, he said, which showed that those who got REGN-EB3 or mAb114 "had a greater chance of survival compared to those participants in the other two arms".

Scientists are a step closer to finding the first effective treatments for the deadly Ebola haemorrhagic fever after two potential drugs showed the survival rate of as much as 90per cent in a clinical trial in Congo.

Scientists are a step closer to finding the first effective treatments for the deadly Ebola haemorrhagic fever after two potential drugs showed the survival rate of as much as 90per cent in a clinical trial in Congo. Two experimental drugs - Regeneron's and a monoclonal antibody called mAb114 - were both developed using antibodies harvested from survivors of Ebola infection. The treatments are now going to be offered to all patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. They showed 'clearly better' results in patients in a trial of four potential treatments being conducted during the world's second-largest Ebola outbreak in history, now entering its second year in DRC. The drugs improved survival rates from the disease more than two other treatments being tested - ZMapp, made by Mapp Biopharmaceutical, and Remdesivir, made by Gilead Sciences - and those products will be now dropped, said Anthony Fauci, one of the researchers co-leading the trial. The agency said 49per cent of the patients on ZMapp and 53per cent on remdesivir died in the study. In comparison, 29per cent of the patients on REGN-EB3 and 34per cent on mAb-114 died. Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told reporters in a telebriefing the results were "very good news" for the fight against Ebola. "What this means is that we do now have what look like (two) treatments for a disease for which not long ago we had no approach at all," he said. The agency said of the patients who were brought into treatment centres with low levels of virus detected in their blood, 94per cent who got REGN-EB3 and 89per cent on mAb114 survived. In comparison, two-thirds of the patients who got remdesivir and nearly three-fourth on ZMapp survived. Ebola has been spreading in eastern Congo since August 2018 in an outbreak that has now become the second-largest, killing at least 1,800 people. Efforts to control it have been hampered by militia violence and some local resistance to outside help. A vast Ebola outbreak in West Africa become the world's largest-ever when it spread through Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone from 2013 to 2016 and killed more than 11,300 people. The Congo treatment trial, which began in November last year, is being carried out by an international research group coordinated by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Mike Ryan, head of the WHO's emergencies programme, said the trial's positive findings were encouraging but would not be enough on their own to bring the epidemic to an end. "The news today is fantastic. It gives us a new tool in our toolbox against Ebola, but it will not in itself stop Ebola," he told reporters. Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust global health charity, also hailed the success of the trial's findings, saying they would 'undoubtedly save lives'. "The more we learn about these two treatments, the closer we can get to turning Ebola from a terrifying disease to one that is preventable and treatable," he said in a statement. "We won't ever get rid of Ebola but we should be able to stop these outbreaks from turning into major national and regional epidemics." Some 681 patients at four separate treatment centres in Congo have already been enrolled in the Congo treatment clinical trial, Fauci said. The study aims to enrol a total of 725. The decision to drop two of the trial drugs was based on data from almost 500 patients, he said, which showed that those who got REGN-EB3 or mAb114 "had a greater chance of survival compared to those participants in the other two arms".

Scientists hail promise of first effective Ebola treatments in Congo trial

The World Health Organisation has vaccinated&nbsp;over&nbsp;1,300&nbsp;people&nbsp;who&nbsp;potentially came into contact with the&nbsp;Ebola&nbsp;virus in the Congolese city of&nbsp;Goma, it said on Sunday, helping contain what many feared would be a rapid spread in an urban centre.

A year-long&nbsp;Ebola&nbsp;outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has killed at least 1,800, the second biggest toll ever, and efforts to contain the virus have been hobbled by militia violence and some local resistance to outside interference.

Goma, a lakeside city of nearly 2 million people on the Rwandan border, has been on high alert&nbsp;over&nbsp;the past week after a gold miner with a large family contaminated several people before dying himself.

"Ongoing vaccination activities have reached the majority (98%) of eligible contacts, and 1,314 contacts, contacts of contacts and frontline workers (have been) vaccinated to date," the WHO&nbsp;said in a statement on Sunday.

No&nbsp;new&nbsp;confirmed&nbsp;cases&nbsp;have been reported in&nbsp;Goma&nbsp;since the&nbsp;WHO's last report on Aug. 2.

The use of an experimental&nbsp;Ebola&nbsp;vaccine, developed by Merck, has proven to be a key weapon against the hemorrhagic fever, although reaching contacts in rural areas beset by violence has proven difficult.

The vaccine's success has been most obvious in cities where contacts can be easier to trace, helping avoid the widespread havoc seen in densely populated areas during a 2013-2016 outbreak in West Africa that killed&nbsp;over&nbsp;11,000 people.

The World Health Organisation has vaccinated over 1,300 people who potentially came into contact with the Ebola virus in the Congolese city of Goma, it said on Sunday, helping contain what many feared would be a rapid spread in an urban centre.

The World Health Organisation has vaccinated over 1,300 people who potentially came into contact with the Ebola virus in the Congolese city of Goma, it said on Sunday, helping contain what many feared would be a rapid spread in an urban centre. A year-long Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has killed at least 1,800, the second biggest toll ever, and efforts to contain the virus have been hobbled by militia violence and some local resistance to outside interference. Goma, a lakeside city of nearly 2 million people on the Rwandan border, has been on high alert over the past week after a gold miner with a large family contaminated several people before dying himself. "Ongoing vaccination activities have reached the majority (98%) of eligible contacts, and 1,314 contacts, contacts of contacts and frontline workers (have been) vaccinated to date," the WHO said in a statement on Sunday. No new confirmed cases have been reported in Goma since the WHO's last report on Aug. 2. The use of an experimental Ebola vaccine, developed by Merck, has proven to be a key weapon against the hemorrhagic fever, although reaching contacts in rural areas beset by violence has proven difficult. The vaccine's success has been most obvious in cities where contacts can be easier to trace, helping avoid the widespread havoc seen in densely populated areas during a 2013-2016 outbreak in West Africa that killed over 11,000 people.

WHO says no new Ebola cases in Goma, vaccinates over 1,300

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