Ebola outbreak in DRC: setbacks due to rapid spread of the disease – Democratic Republic of Congo

• Record number of new cases reported two weeks in a row – 57 followed by 72

• The number of cases now reaches 1,100

• More than 100 children killed by Ebola

• Conflict and escalating tensions push back the fight against disease

• More than half of the Ebola deaths last week occurred outside the treatment centers, significantly increasing the risk of transmission of the disease.

• The outbreak of cases comes shortly after the announcement of four attacks against Ebola treatment or transit centers in just two weeks.

• Save the Children helps to overcome misinformation and hostility by training nearly 1,200 health workers and 1,000 community leaders.

• Save the Children has informed more than one million people about Ebola. This work includes:

• setting up screening facilities;

• trace people who have been in contact with the virus to prevent it from spreading further.

• The humanitarian aid team in North Kivu said that as widespread mistrust of the fight against the disease overflowed into attacks, it became increasingly difficult to fight the epidemic. to reach the children who needed support.

• Children talk about misconceptions about the disease: "People used to think that the Ebola virus was caused by an evil spirit."

Heather Kerr, Country Director of Save the Children in the DRC, said:

"Efforts to eradicate the disease are enormous. Progress has been made, but this increase in the number of cases shows that gains could be negated. With the wrong approach, fear and suspicion could still overwhelm the fight against the disease. "

"Save the Children has worked tirelessly to help communities fight the disease. We work within and alongside communities to ensure that they know how to protect themselves and feel supported by the terrible experience of a strange and deadly disease on their doorstep. "

Ms. Kerr said that a long-standing conflict in the region is combining with Ebola to let children live in constant fear.

"Children are sacred and angry about what's happening to them. For years, they had neighbors, friends and loved ones killed in the conflict while working in their fields or walking the streets. And now, the Ebola virus is not only killing more and more lives, it is also destroying the essential connection children have with their family and friends, because they can not touch each other or comfort each other. They live in constant fear of contracting the disease, but also to be attacked by armed groups. "

Save the Children spoke to children and families trying to address the dual threat of conflict and the Ebola virus, which shed light on the fears and misconceptions surrounding the disease.

Pierre * and Henri * – Photos and images available for download: https://www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2SV9S5CX

The uncle, aunt and one of Pierre's children, aged 13, were mbadacred in their field by an armed group. Pierre 's little cousin, one month old, was also touched by the attack but survived after five months of treatment. After this tragedy, he and his family are facing the new threat of Ebola.

Pierre attends Ebola awareness sessions with Save the Children and shares information with his friends. He said, "People used to think that the Ebola virus was caused by an evil spirit. People say that whites come to take our DRC.

"When a child gets Ebola, he may have a high fever, sweat a lot, and his eyes change color."

Pierre's father, Henri, cares for the orphan children of his brother and his family – 15 in total. He is also a community leader trained by Save the Children to go from house to house and educate families about the Ebola virus and how to protect themselves. Henri said:

"There was a lot of resistance because people thought that Ebola was scary. We also thought that it was bad spirit. Others thought it was the government that had created the virus to reduce the country's population. We were afraid because of the conflict and we were waiting for the elections. This has contributed to people's misunderstanding about Ebola and the fact that the government has created Ebola to reduce the number of people.

"I am informing neighbors and families about Ebola to show them how bad the Ebola virus is, which could kill the entire village."

Sébastien * – Photos available for download: https://www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2SV9S5CX

Sebastien said, "Ebola touched some of my friends, but I refused to get vaccinated. Many parents refused to allow their children to be vaccinated because they were not informed. They thought the vaccine carriers were people with Ebola and would infect them. I thought that when you were vaccinated, you contracted the disease. People said that once vaccinated, you died.

Sebastian already lives with the legacy of conflict.

"In 2016, there was a lot of rain and floods started. At the same time, people on the other side of the city were saying that there were armed groups. I saw children killing other children. And then the children started to drown.

"Children are no longer going to school because their parents have been killed or are no longer in the field and can not pay school fees.

"Every day we hear armed groups. At any time, you can hear gunshots.

"I would like to lead children. I would like to become the children's president to be able to speak for them. They are always neglected and isolated. A large number of children are kidnapped because they are not supported. There are many projects that I would like to launch to change this situation. "

Notes to editors:

• Save the Children deployed its emergency health service in August 2018 to deal with the Ebola outbreak and is currently working on information campaigns for children and communities, the monitoring of possible cases, including contact tracing, support to health facilities by building triage and isolation areas for suspected patient cases, and providing health care workers with infection prevention equipment, such as rubber boots, gloves, masks and suits.

• In addition to continuing its current work, Save the Children will intensify its child protection programs in the coming months. It will identify vulnerable children affected by Ebola and ensure that they get the support they need, including psychosocial support and individual case management.

• Save the Children currently supports 39 health facilities in North Kivu and Ituri and 44 health facilities in Petit-Kivu (Goma and surrounding areas) in infection prevention and control, health and triage areas.

• Case studies, photos, brief and video interviews with children and health workers from North Kivu are available for distribution: https://www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2SV9S5CX

• For interviews, please contact [email protected], 0044 7831 650409