New york: The world must move faster to contain the spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN relief chief Tom Fletcher said on Thursday.

According to Emirates News Agency, Fletcher warned that while Ituri province remains the center of the outbreak, the virus is spreading to other provinces due to conflict and displacement. Since the DRC declared the Ebola outbreak on 15 May, the Bundibugyo species has infected more than 1,700 and killed 600 in the DRC. In neighboring Uganda, authorities have confirmed 20 cases.

In response to the outbreak, the UN released up to $60 million in May to accelerate the response in the DRC. The World Health Organisation has worked with the UN’s peacekeeping mission in the DRC to supply medical equipment to affected regions and build isolation and treatment units.

Fletcher called for support for humanitarian assistance programs and investment in preparedness. He emphasized that the best defense against Ebola remains surveillance, laboratory testing, refe
rral systems, infection prevention and control, and community engagement. He further highlighted the need for locally led, community-centered approaches to Ebola containment that are tailored to both men and women.

“Any delay will be measured in Ebola deaths and in lives lost to the wider humanitarian consequences of this outbreak,” Fletcher said.