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