UNITED NATIONS, Feb 5 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has prompted the United Nations and its humanitarian partners, to step up preparations for the virus spreading into neighbouring South Sudan.
The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said, the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated two million U.S. dollars to support critical Ebola preparedness activities, to protect an estimated 440,000 people in high-risk areas of South Sudan,” said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN chief.
“Although there have been no cases confirmed in South Sudan, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says, the country is at ‘very high-risk’ due to its proximity to DRC. The CERF funds will help to strengthen surveillance, build case management capabilities, enhance laboratory services and increase infection control and prevention.”
As of Saturday, WHO said, there were 774 confirmed cases, including 54 cases that had not been officially confirmed but were regarded as probable, since hemorrhagic fever outbreak was confirmed last Aug. Of those, there were 427 deaths, including 54 probable victims.
Last month, South Sudan, aided by the United Nations and its humanitarian partners, began vaccinating health workers and other front-line defence individuals against the frequently deadly disease.– NNN-AGENCIES
