lördag 31 oktober 2026
Young children hit hardest by Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
“Terrifying”
Children arriving at the center with suspected Ebola are separated from their families to prevent the spread of the virus. Often, they are too young to even grasp their situation.
“It is, of course, terrifying to suddenly find yourself in a reality where you are alone in a bed, and the people caring for you enter wearing masks and large, yellow protective suits,” says Anneli Eriksson.
At the same time, she notes significant differences compared to the Ebola outbreak in Liberia twelve years ago. Now, there are individual rooms with plexiglass or plastic windows facing a “low-risk area.”
“Having a mother or father nearby—while they can’t lie in the same bed, they can be just a meter away—makes a huge difference. These are simple yet ingenious solutions.”
The children also have dedicated caregivers, who wear full protective gear.
Assisting health centers
It is not yet known why children are affected by the virus at a higher rate, but many of those infected had previously received care at other health centers. Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) is working to help local healthcare services limit the spread of the virus—despite limited resources—by implementing proper protocols and hygiene practices.
Anneli Eriksson herself has an “extremely high” level of respect for the virus.
“If you aren’t a little bit afraid all the time, you might become a danger to yourself.”
Amidst a difficult situation, the bright moments stand out to her—like when a little boy recently recovered and was able to hug his mother and father.
“It’s those moments that make it all so deeply meaningful.” It sounds grim—the mortality rate is high—but many of those we care for survive, especially if they receive treatment in time.
Facts
Ebola
The Ebola virus is an RNA virus that causes hemorrhagic fever. There are six variants of the Ebola virus; four of these cause disease in humans.
The Bundibugyo variant is responsible for the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are no vaccines or specific treatments for this particular variant, though development is underway.
Ebola is transmitted between humans through bodily fluids. Sexual transmission can also occur. The onset of illness is rapid, characterized by flu-like symptoms such as high fever, headache, sore throat, gastrointestinal symptoms, and muscle pain. In the later stages, bleeding may occur on the skin and within internal organs.
During outbreaks in affected African countries, the mortality rate is often estimated to be as high as 50–90 percent. With access to adequate intensive care, the mortality rate is significantly lower.
The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the ongoing outbreak has surpassed 10,000. According to the Ministry of Health in Kinshasa, approximately half of these individuals have died.
This makes it the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the country’s history, as well as the fastest-growing one.
Cases have also been confirmed in Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria.
Source: WHO, Public Health Agency of Sweden
Man död i Huthi-fängelse – FN kräver utredning
En FN-anställd som fängslades av Huthirörelsen i Jemen har avlidit i fångenskapen. Nu kräver organisationens människorättschef Volker Türk att dödsfallet utreds.
Muhammed al-Shami, som arbetade vid FN:s människorättsavdelning i Jemen, hade hållits fången av Huthirörelsen sedan 2024, uppger FN i ett uttalande.
Dödsfallet uppges ha skett för över en månad sedan, men al-Shamis anhöriga fick inte reda på det förrän alldeles nyligen.
Türk säger i uttalandet att ingen förklaring lämnats gällande den ”hjärtskärande förlusten” och kräver ”full transparens från Huthi-kontrollerade myndigheter och en brådskande, oberoende och grundlig utredning” kring hur och varför Muhammed al-Shami dog.
Iranstödda Huthirörelsen, som befinner sig i krig mot Jemens internationellt erkända och Saudistödda regering, håller 71 FN-anställda fångna, uppgav FN-talespersonen Farhan Haq tidigare i oktober.
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