Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Ebola Cases In Congo Are Grossly Undercounted, WHO Says
The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that a deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo could be four times bigger than official figures suggest. According to the DR Congo's latest official figures, the haemorrhagic fever has infected more than 1,960 people and killed over 700 since it was detected two months ago. But WHO emergencies director Chikwe Ihekweazu told reporters in Geneva that its modelling indicated "the scale of the outbreak is at least two to four times the number of cases that we have found." (7/14)
The World Health Organization has received less than half the funding it 鈥媙eeds to fight the Ebola outbreak in eastern 鈥孌emocratic Republic of Congo, a WHO official said on Tuesday, urging donors not to abandon the country at a critical 鈥媠tage of the epidemic. The global health agency has 鈥媟eceived about 40% of its $115 million appeal to 鈦爐ackle the Bundibugyo outbreak, for which there is no 鈥媝roven treatment or vaccine. At least 1,926 people have been 鈥媔nfected and 702 have died, government data show. ... He repeated estimates that the 鈦爐rue 鈥媙umber of Ebola cases in 鈥婥ongo is at least double, and possibly over four times, the official tally. (7/14)
The leader of the Africa Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (Africa CDC), is calling for stronger protections for first responders, including more gear and enhanced safety protocols in light of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which is officially entering its second month and showing little signs of slowed transmission. (Soucheray, 7/13)
Also 鈥
The Trump administration on Monday said it is blocking American citizens in the Democratic Republic of Congo from traveling to 鈥媡he U.S. on commercial flights, according to a White House official. The 鈥宱rder, which is being taken under a transportation authority known as Title 49, will place U.S. citizens in Congo or those who have recently left on a 鈥渄o-not-board鈥 list 鈥媢ntil they have spent at least 21 days in a third 鈥媍ountry, the person said. (Hunnicutt, 7/13)
A second American infected with Ebola while working in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been transferred to Germany for care and is responding positively to treatment, his employer, an evangelical Christian organization said. Samaritan鈥檚 Purse said its employee arrived Monday at Frankfurt University Hospital. 鈥淗e has responded well to treatment, is in stable condition, and is receiving excellent medical care in the hospital鈥檚 special isolation unit,鈥 the group said in a statement. (Sun, 7/13)