UN warns of Ebola spread in DR Congo camps
The UN has reported an Ebola outbreak across 16 displacement sites in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. With limited resources and overcrowding, the agency is struggling to contain the spread among 270,000 displaced people.
Why it matters
The outbreak highlights the intersection of humanitarian crises, conflict, and public health, posing a significant risk to regional stability.
The UN aid agency OCHA said that confirmed Ebola cases had been reported in "at least 16 displacement sites" across Ituri, the northeastern province at the epicentre of outbreak.
"These sites host more than 270,000 displaced people, with overcrowding and limited access to basic services increasing the risk of disease transmission," OCHA said in a statement.
The UN and its partners have been installing handwashing stations and contacting communities on Ebola prevention measures, OCHA said.
Cases of Ebola, which spreads through close contact and infected bodily fluids, have so far been found in five DRC provinces, as well as in neighbouring Uganda.
There have been 2,344 confirmed cases of Ebola in the DRC, including 930 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
More than 460 patients have recovered in the country, while there are 192 suspected cases.
The epidemic is now the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record.
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