Ebola kills 377 in Congo, Africa at grave risk

The United Nations has warned that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Africa could cost the continent’s economy up to $3.6 billion if urgent action is not taken to control it. The agency also warned that more than 300,000 people are at risk of losing their jobs.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said the current outbreak of the ‘Bundibugyo’ variant of the Ebola virus is the biggest concern to date. There is still no effective and tested vaccine or specific treatment against this type of virus.
According to the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), 1,307 people have been infected and 377 have died in the country since the outbreak was declared on May 15. In addition, a small number of cases have been detected in Uganda. Experts fear that the virus could spread to neighboring countries, including South Sudan, if the situation is not brought under control.
Damien Mama, UNDP Resident Representative in DR Congo, said the outbreak could be brought under control if the necessary funding and resources are secured. Otherwise, it could become a long-term development crisis for the entire region and possibly Africa.
The UNDP report outlined three possible scenarios. In the best-case scenario, if the disease is limited to DR Congo and Uganda, the loss to DR Congo’s gross domestic product (GDP) could be around $1 billion.
In the worst-case scenario, if Ebola spreads to other countries, including Rwanda and Angola, and at the same time fuel prices continue to rise due to the Iran crisis, the African economy could lose $3.6 billion and about 328,000 jobs.
The epicenter of the current outbreak is DR Congo’s conflict-ridden Ituri province. Experts say that in many cases, the infection is spreading during the burial of Ebola victims. Aid workers are also facing obstacles in carrying out safe burials due to local distrust.
In response, the DR Congo government last week banned public gatherings in four provinces, including the capital Kinshasa. However, opposition parties have accused the ban of being politically motivated, as it comes just ahead of planned protests demanding constitutional reform.

Source: Al Jazeera