WHO: Ebola detected in new areas

TT

Published 14.04

 

Health workers carry a confirmed Ebola infected person to an isolated hospital facility. The photo was taken in Bunia on Thursday. Photo: Moses Sawasawa/AP/TT

The Ebola outbreak in northeastern Congo-Kinshasa is spreading to more areas, the World Health Organization (WHO) is warning.

The outbreak is growing both in number of cases and geographically, according to Olivier le Polain, an epidemiologist at the WHO on site in the area. Within the three provinces that have been affected, cases are being detected in new hospital districts almost daily.

– This gives an idea of ​​the extent of the outbreak, which is much larger than what has been detected, says le Polain, pointing out the high mobility of the population.

According to the epidemiologist, much more needs to be done to keep the outbreak in check. Contact tracing must be stepped up even further and more isolation facilities are urgently needed, le Polain emphasizes.

More than 670 Ebola cases have been confirmed so far and 136 people have died, according to the WHO.