UN Emergency Fund allocates $15M for Ebola response in DRC, Guinea

[Deeq A.]

Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

PRESS RELEASE
UN Emergency Fund allocates $15M for Ebola response in DRC, Guinea
The funding will help DRC and Guinea respond to the outbreak and support neighbouring countries to prepare
NEW YORK, United States of America, February 17, 2021/ — Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock is today announcing an initial rapid allocation of US$15 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in response to the concerning Ebola outbreaks in Guinea and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

This is the first time Ebola has been recorded in Guinea since the last outbreak ended in 2016. The outbreak in the DRC is in the same area as the 10th Ebola epidemic that claimed more than 2,200 lives from August 2018 to June 2020.

“Breaking the chain of transmission is the priority so I’m releasing rapid funding for community engagement, infection prevention and control, and vaccination” said Mr. Lowcock.

The funding will help DRC and Guinea respond to the outbreak and support neighbouring countries to prepare. Detailed allocation decisions will be made in the next few days as we receive more details about specific requirements, needs and risks.

In Guinea to date, 10 suspected cases have been recorded. In DRC, there are four confirmed cases, including two deaths.

SOURCE
Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

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