{"id":39675,"date":"2026-07-15T12:29:31","date_gmt":"2026-07-15T10:29:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/?post_type=news&p=39675"},"modified":"2026-07-15T12:29:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T10:29:31","slug":"msf-urges-ebola-response-scale-up-as-drc-outbreak-nears-2-000-cases","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/news\/msf-urges-ebola-response-scale-up-as-drc-outbreak-nears-2-000-cases\/","title":{"rendered":"MSF urges Ebola response scale up as DRC outbreak nears 2 000 cases"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is spreading faster than efforts to contain it, global \u200bmedical charity M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res (MSF) warned on Wednesday, calling for an \u200curgent expansion of containment and care measures.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The number of confirmed Ebola cases had tripled in less than five weeks to 1 926, including 702 deaths, as of Sunday, \u200bofficial data showed, making it the third largest and the fastest-growing Ebola \u200boutbreak on record, according to MSF.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The charity operates seven Ebola \u2060treatment centres and more than 15 isolation units in DRC.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The often-fatal viral disease spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected people \u200bor animals and causes symptoms that can include high fever, vomiting and internal and external bleeding. This particular epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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“Every \u200bdelay costs lives. We are still chasing the outbreak instead of \u200bstaying ahead of it,” said MSF’s emergency programme manager, Trish Newport, urging more coordinated international \u200caction \u2060to improve Ebola care.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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MSF raised alarm at the geographic spread of the outbreak, while communities outside urban areas continue to face inadequate support with limited access to medical care and an overstretched surveillance system.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The World Health \u200bOrganisation said last \u200bweek that the \u2060outbreak remained in an expansion phase, driven partly by population movements and delays in treatment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The United States (US) administration is blocking American \u200bcitizens in Congo from travelling to the US on \u200bcommercial flights, \u2060according to a White House official<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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MSF said surveillance, testing, and safe and dignified burials all needed more resources.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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“In Mongbwalu, we are seeing the deadly human \u2060consequences of \u200bthese gaps every day,” said Ayokunnu Raji, \u200bmedical doctor and MSF medical programme manager, explaining that patients often arrive in critical condition \u200bwith little chance of survival.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Ebola outbreak in DRC raises concern<\/strong><\/p>\n