Overcrowding and limited access to basic services at displacement sites are heightening the risk of Ebola spreading further in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, UN humanitarians warned Monday.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Ebola cases have now been confirmed at 16 sites hosting more than 270,000 displaced people across Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak. OCHA said the UN and its partners are supporting affected communities through prevention and awareness efforts, including the installation of handwashing stations and community outreach on Ebola prevention measures.
As of Saturday, DRC health authorities had confirmed 2,344 Ebola cases across five provinces, with Ituri alone accounting for nearly 90 percent of them, according to OCHA.
The agency renewed its call for greater international support to sustain the Ebola response and continue life-saving assistance to displaced communities already worn down by years of conflict, displacement, and deteriorating living conditions.
