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The arrival of the Ebola virus in the main city of Goma, in eastern Congo, greatly increases the risk of spreading the virus if it is rooted in this metropolis near the Rwandan border, announced Monday the World Organization of health (WHO).
US officials and donors gathered in Geneva to discuss how to tackle the second-worst epidemic in the world, which affected 2,500 people and killed 1,655 people in the lush agricultural lands of the country. Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
A toxic mix of armed militias and a deep distrust of communities towards health officials has hindered efforts to stop the virus.
Goma, a lakeside town located more than 350 km south of where the outbreak was first detected, had its first case on Sunday. This raised fears that the Ebola virus is spreading in one of the most densely populated areas of Africa, at the Rwandan border.
"The case in Goma could potentially change the game to fight this epidemic," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "It's a gateway to the region and the world."
The patient who brought Ebola to Goma was an infected priest during a visit to Butembo town, 200 km north of Goma, where he had contact with Ebola patients, announced the Ministry of Health of Congo in a statement.
He was taken back to the Butembo clinic on Monday.
"Due to the speed with which the patient has been identified and isolated, as well as the identification of all bus passengers from Butembo, the risk of spread in the rest of the city of Goma remains low" said the ministry.
The WHO emergency chief, Mike Ryan, said they had identified 60 contacts, 18 of whom were in the bus with the priest, and that half of them had have been vaccinated.
Ebola workers attacked
Goma had been preparing for a year since the arrival of Ebola, setting up hand washing stations and ensuring that motorcycle taxi drivers did not share their helmets.
"There is a serious risk of a significant increase in the number or spread to new places – as we have heard today in Goma," said Josie Golding, an epidemic specialist in the United States. Charity for global health Wellcome Trust.
Ebola causes diarrhea, vomiting and haemorrhagic fever and can be transmitted by body fluids. An epidemic between 2013 and 2016 killed more than 11,300 people in West Africa.
Although the technology used to combat it, including vaccines and special treatment units, is better than ever, trust between health workers and the community is weak – and militia violence prevents them from gaining access to health care. isolated areas.
Unidentified assailants killed two Ebola health workers near Mukulia in North Kivu province over the weekend, the latest in a series of assaults this year that have injured or killed dozens of people.
"Every attack gives Ebola an opportunity to spread – Ebola has a free ride," said Ghebreyesus.
In addition to insecurity, the biggest challenge is money, officials said.
"If we do not collect more resources (…), it will not be possible to control this epidemic," US chief of humanitarian Mark Lowcock told Reuters.
"The need is in money, not next week, next month or later in the year, the need is in money now.
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