{"id":218774,"date":"2019-06-14T10:53:05","date_gmt":"2019-06-14T14:53:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=218774"},"modified":"2019-06-14T20:35:18","modified_gmt":"2019-06-15T00:35:18","slug":"un-says-ebola-outbreak-in-congo-still-not-a-global-emergency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/06\/14\/un-says-ebola-outbreak-in-congo-still-not-a-global-emergency\/","title":{"rendered":"UN says Ebola outbreak in Congo still not a global emergency"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
The outbreak, occurring close to the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan, has been like no other. Mistrust has been high in a region that had never faced Ebola before and attacks by rebel groups have undermined aid efforts. (Shutterstock Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

GENEVA \u2014 The World Health Organization on Friday said the Ebola outbreak in Congo \u2014 which spilled into Uganda this week \u2014 is an \u201cextraordinary event\u201d of deep concern but does not yet merit being declared a global emergency.<\/p>\n

The U.N. health agency convened its expert committee for the third time to assess the outbreak, which some experts say met the criteria to be designated an\u00a0international\u00a0emergency long ago.<\/p>\n

This outbreak, the second-deadliest in history, has killed more than 1,400 people since it was declared in August. Three members of the family who brought the virus into Uganda have died after attending the burial of an infected relative, a popular pastor, in Congo.<\/p>\n

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Dr. Preben Aavitsland, the acting chair of the committee, announced that the outbreak is \u201ca health emergency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo\u201d but that the situation should not be declared a global one.<\/p>\n

For such a declaration, an outbreak must constitute a risk to other countries and require a co-ordinated response. The declaration typically triggers more funding, resources and political attention.<\/p>\n

Aavitsland said the committee was \u201cdeeply disappointed\u201d that WHO and the affected countries have not received the funding needed to stop the outbreak and delivered a blunt message to donors: \u201cStep up.\u201d<\/p>\n

WHO said $54 million is needed.<\/p>\n

Aavitsland added that declaring an emergency could have \u201cunintended consequences\u201d such as airlines stopping flights or governments closing borders.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was the view of the committee that there is really nothing to gain by declaring a (global emergency) but there is potentially a lot to lose,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The outbreak, occurring close to the borders of Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan, has been like no other. Mistrust has been high in a region that had never faced Ebola before and attacks by rebel groups have undermined aid efforts. Several health workers have been killed.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, WHO’s emergencies chief acknowledged the agency has been unable to track the origins of nearly half of new Ebola cases in Congo amid the challenges, suggesting it doesn’t know where the virus is spreading.<\/p>\n

Friday’s announcement quickly drew criticism from some experts.<\/p>\n

\u201cI respect the advice of the emergency committee but do believe a public health emergency of\u00a0international\u00a0concern would have been justified,\u201d said Dr. Jeremy Farrar, director of Wellcome, one of Britain’s biggest donors and a funder of Ebola vaccine research. \u201cThe epidemic is in a frightening phase and shows no sign of stopping anytime soon,\u201d he said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Congo’s health minister, Dr. Oly Ilunga, told The Associated Press that WHO’s decision to not declare the outbreak a global emergency was a testament to the country’s response efforts, which he called \u201ceffective.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Uganda, authorities said the country now had just one suspected Ebola case, who had no contact with the infected family and remained in isolation. They did not give more details. Ninety-eight contacts with infected people have been identified. The health minister on Friday asked Ugandans not to shake hands or otherwise touch each other \u201cuntil we are Ebola-free.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alexandra Phelan, a global health expert at Georgetown University, said the legal criteria for declaring Ebola a global emergency have long been met, even before the virus reached Uganda.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiven that we are still seeing daily numbers of cases in the double digits and we do not have adequate surveillance, this indicates the outbreak is a persistent regional risk,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Phelan said she was concerned WHO might have been swayed by political considerations.<\/p>\n

As the far deadlier 2014-16 Ebola outbreak raged in West Africa, WHO was heavily criticized for not declaring a global emergency until nearly 1,000 people had died and the virus had spread to at least three countries. Internal WHO documents later showed the agency feared the declaration would have economic and social implications for Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.<\/p>\n

Dr. Axelle Ronsse, emergency co-ordinator for Medecins Sans Frontieres, was unsure whether a declaration would help. She said outbreak responders, including WHO, should reevaluate their strategies to contain the spiraling outbreak.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s quite clear that it’s not under control,\u201d she said. \u201cNow may be the time to reset and see what should be changed at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

Cheng reported from London. Saleh Mwanamilongo in Kinshasa, Congo contributed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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