The United Nations warned Monday of the spread of Ebola in camps for displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, saying promiscuity there fueled the risk of transmission.
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The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Aid (Ocha) warned that confirmed cases of Ebola had been reported in at least 16 camps for displaced people across Ituri, the northeastern province at the heart of the outbreak.
“These sites host more than 270,000 displaced people, with overcrowding and limited access to basic services increasing the risk of disease transmission,” OCHA said in a statement.
There are 2,344 confirmed cases of the disease in the DRC, including 930 deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Some 466 patients have recovered in the country, while 192 cases are considered suspicious.
The UN and its partners have set up hand-washing stations and are carrying out awareness-raising activities among communities on prevention measures against Ebola, OCHA said.
Cases of Ebola, which is transmitted through close contact and infected bodily fluids, have so far been detected in five DRC provinces, as well as neighboring Uganda.
The outbreak is now the third largest Ebola outbreak on record. The 17th Ebola epidemic in the DRC was declared on May 15, after several deaths in Ituri, a province rich in minerals and prey to armed groups.
“Needs continue to exceed available resources,” OCHA warned. The agency called for increased international support to maintain the Ebola response and life-saving aid to displaced communities “already facing years of conflict, displacement and worsening living conditions.”
There is no approved vaccine or treatment for the rare Bundibugyo form of the Ebola virus, which is responsible for the current outbreak.
