Ebola in Central Africa: U.S. aid rises to $886 million

The announcement was made in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Washington hopes to secure further commitments to reach an international target of $2 billion, primarily for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The additional funds will finance treatment centers, diagnostic tools, and medical supplies for caregivers deployed in the field. U.S. authorities present this aid as a means to contain the outbreak at its source.

In its update on September 10, the World Health Organization reported 6,757 confirmed cases and 3,267 deaths in the DRC as of September 7. The disease was affecting 61 health zones across six provinces. The WHO describes this outbreak, detected in May and caused by the Bundibugyo virus, as the largest Ebola epidemic ever recorded in the country.

The risk remains classified as very high in the DRC and high in neighboring countries. The Ervebo vaccine is being used under a research protocol, as its effectiveness against the Bundibugyo virus has not been established. The DRC and Uganda were among the countries expected to attend the international meeting held on September 23 in New York to mobilize the necessary funding.