UK Development Minister Jenny Chapman admitted that foreign aid cuts, including from the UK, have undermined the response to the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and Uganda. She acknowledged that more resources are needed to combat the rare Bundibugyo strain, which has no proven vaccine or treatment.
The WHO warns the Ebola outbreak in the DRC is outpacing response efforts, with 220 suspected deaths. Attacks on health facilities by residents seeking bodies for traditional burials are hindering containment, particularly in Ituri province. Neighboring countries are at high risk.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has updated its Ebola death toll to 204 from 867 suspected cases. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak an international emergency, and the African Union's health agency warns 10 other African countries are at risk.
The Trump administration is temporarily halting refugee removals to the DRC due to the Ebola outbreak, but experts argue it won't prevent disease spread. A Colombian woman, Adriana Zapata, remains in limbo in Kinshasa despite a judge's order for her return to the US, with officials citing the travel ban.
The Trump administration pauses refugee removals to the DRC due to an Ebola outbreak, but experts say this won't prevent the spread of the disease and may put immigrants at risk
In eastern Congo, Ebola is spreading faster than responders can track, with health workers following up on only 21% of identified contacts daily. The outbreak has reached three provinces, including South Kivu, raising concerns despite international emergency measures.
Afghanistan's foreign ministry says Afghans who assisted the US war effort and have been stranded at a US base in Qatar can safely return home, amid reports the Trump administration is discussing sending them to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Around 1,100 Afghan refugees who worked alongside US forces during the 20-year war have been in limbo at Camp As-Sayliyah in Doha for the past year. The State Department says it's working to identify third-country resettlement options on a voluntary basis.
