Ebola

Questions are being raised about whether the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is finally being brought under control. The topic is drawing attention amid ongoing efforts by health authorities and international organisations to contain the virus, and observers are watching for confirmation that new cases are declining.

The World Health Organization reports that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to two new health zones, raising concerns about the potential for wider transmission. Wire services including Reuters, The Hindu and South Africa's SABC are carrying the update, which health officials say underscores the difficulty of containing the virus in remote, densely connected communities. Response teams are working to trace contacts and curb further spread.

The United Arab Emirates has allocated $10 million to support efforts against the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Africa. The funding is intended to help containment and relief operations on the continent. The announcement adds the Gulf state to the list of international donors responding to the epidemic, drawing attention to the scale of the health emergency.

Health authorities have confirmed a case of mpox in a city in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that was previously the centre of the Ebola outbreak. The finding raises concern about overlapping disease outbreaks in a region with fragile health infrastructure. Officials are expected to step up surveillance and contact tracing to contain further spread of the virus.

A senior Presidential Envoy has voiced support for strengthening emergency preparedness in South Sudan following Ebola outbreaks in neighbouring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The backing, highlighted by the WHO Regional Office for Africa, signals concern that South Sudan's health system could be tested if the outbreaks spread, and puts focus on readiness measures, surveillance and cross-border coordination in the region.

A case of mpox has been confirmed in Bunia, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, raising concern because the city is already at the centre of an Ebola outbreak. Health authorities now face the challenge of responding to two dangerous diseases at once in the same area, stretching testing, treatment and contact-tracing capacity in a region with fragile medical infrastructure.

Moderna has begun a Phase 1 clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine targeting the Zaire strain responsible for the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The trial marks the first human testing of the candidate, which uses the same mRNA technology behind Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine. Coverage is highlighting the company's growing pipeline and the urgent need for new Ebola countermeasures in central Africa.

An Ebola outbreak is dominating discussions as world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly. Health officials and governments are facing questions over containment efforts, funding and cross-border preparedness, with the outbreak expected to feature in leaders' speeches and side meetings during the annual gathering.