CERF gives $750,000 in response to Ebola in DRC

26 September 2012: An outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has killed 32 people in Orientale Province in north-eastern Congo, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). There are another 82 suspected cases in the country.

Ebola is a highly contagious virus that causes massive internal bleeding and kills up to 90 per cent of its victims. The disease is spread through direct contact with the blood, saliva, sweat and other bodily fluids of affected people. Handling the corpses of those who have died from the disease and consuming meat from infected animals can also spread infection. There is no known cure for the virus.

In response, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has provided nearly US$750,000 to UN agencies to help boost Government efforts to respond to the outbreak. WHO received nearly $490,000 to help Congolese health workers identify active Ebola cases, trace people who may have had contact with an infected person and support the medical management of Ebola cases.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) received $250,000 to support Government efforts to educate communities about how the virus spreads.

Nearly 700,000 people living in Orientale Province will benefit from CERF-funded activities.