Americares, the Stamford-based global health and disaster relief organization, is responding to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has already claimed more than 130 lives and prompted a global health emergency.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday, May 17, after two people who traveled from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Uganda were confirmed to be infected with the virus. The high-positivity rate among samples tested could also indicate a larger outbreak than is currently known. To date, WHO has reported that there could be more than 600 suspected cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and it expects those numbers to continue increasing.
Health workers are among those who have died from the outbreak in Ituri province, heightening concerns about transmission within health facilities and the broader challenge of containing the virus. Those concerns intensified Monday, May 18, when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that an American working in the Democratic Republic of Congo tested positive for Ebola. The situation is further compounded by active conflict in the region, poor road infrastructure, population movement and cross-border spread, as in the confirmed cases reported in Uganda.
“Thousands of lives are at risk,” said Americares Chief Medical Officer and infectious disease specialist Julie Varughese, M.D.. “Ebola is a serious and highly infectious disease that can spread rapidly, particularly in communities where health systems are already under strain. Americares is supporting local partners working to contain the outbreak and save lives.”
The organization is also working with local nonprofits in the Democratic Republic of Congo to support integrated water, sanitation, hygiene, Ebola education and prevention activities in Ituri province. Americares plans to support programs aimed at preventing the spread of the disease, as well as public health education activities and training for health workers and community leaders on infection prevention, case management and risk communication.
The nonprofit is coordinating its response efforts with WHO and the United Nations’ global logistics and health clusters to help support frontline health workers and help to contain the spread of the virus.
The nonprofit has a long history of responding to Ebola outbreaks, including the 2014-16 West Africa Ebola epidemic that killed more than 11,000 people—the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak in history.
Americares responds to 30 natural disasters and humanitarian crises worldwide each year, establishes long-term recovery projects and brings preparedness programs to communities vulnerable to disasters. Americares’ relief workers are among the first to respond to emergencies, helping to restore health services for survivors.
Donations to Americares Worldwide Disaster Relief Fund will support its response to the crisis. To donate, visit americares.org/worldwide.
