UN warns Ebola risk to Central African Republic has increased
UN says Ebola outbreak risk in CAR has risen after DRC border province cases; $3M allocated for prevention.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over the potential spread of the Ebola virus into the Central African Republic (CAR), warning that the risk has grown following new infections in provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that share a border with CAR.
Speaking at a press briefing in New York, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher has released $3 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund to support CAR's Ebola prevention efforts.
Dujarric said the funding would be used to bolster disease surveillance, improve isolation capacity, strengthen community engagement, and enhance access to clean water in the country.
The warning comes as the DRC continues to battle an Ebola outbreak declared on 15 May. Latest health authority figures show 5,290 infections and 2,516 deaths in the DRC so far.
CAR is already grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis driven by conflict, floods, disease, and regional instability. An estimated 2.3 million people — more than a third of the population — require vital assistance. This year's humanitarian appeal for the country stands at $264 million, but only 42 percent has been funded, leaving a shortfall of $112 million.