Ebola Crisis: Council on Foreign Relations
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo officially started in August of 2018, in the northeastern regions of the country bordering Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan. Claiming more than 1,300 deaths, with cases doubling in the past three months, the Ebola crisis is escalating but remains second place to the 2014-2016 outbreak that killed more than 11,000 people. The World Health Organization and NGOs like Doctors Without Borders and Red Cross have been contributing to efforts in collaboration with Congolese health authorities. The WHO is distributing vaccinations, but operates in the aftermath of a heavily-criticized response to the first outbreak with reforms since still under scrutiny. As the virus spreads to Uganda, the United Nations must consider whether the outbreak is an international concern. Conflict and poverty in the region exacerbate the crisis, with treatment efforts often facing hostility from armed rebels and UN peacekeepers unable to ensure protection. Claire Felter concludes: “Health experts warn that time is of the essence…without quick action this outbreak will continue to grow.” – Yale Global
Ebola Crisis: Council on Foreign Relations
Largest Ebola outbreak since West African 2014 crisis is underway in the DRC, complicated by conflict and poverty; more aid is necessary
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Read the article from the Council on Foreign Relations about the Ebola crisis.
Claire Felter covers Africa, global health, and development, as well as edits the Daily News Brief. Before joining CFR, she was a news writer at Bustle and a fellow at the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and Africana studies from Tufts University and master’s degree in journalism from Boston University.
Council on Foreign Relations
©2019 Council on Foreign Relations. All rights reserved.