EASTERN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO — An Ebola outbreak is occurring in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, affecting 34 health zones across Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. Health officials met on June 16 to discuss the response, where Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, stated that $1.4 billion is needed over the next six months to address the humanitarian crisis associated with the outbreak.

Thirty of the affected health zones are experiencing crisis levels of hunger or worse. Around one million people live in camps for internally displaced people in the region, where cases of Ebola are being identified. There are three or four major camps for displaced people in the affected region, and most individuals affected by Ebola are between 15 and 45 years old.

Kaseya stated that health workers cannot access some camps due to security concerns linked to rebel groups and conflict between the Hema and Lendu communities. He said, "Without addressing the humanitarian crisis, you are not going to stop this outbreak."

Kaseya indicated that the case fatality rate for the current outbreak is approaching 25 percent, higher than the usual Ebola case fatality rates of around 20 percent. He also noted that the symptoms observed during this outbreak are changing and differ from those seen in previous outbreaks. Kaseya met with Democratic Republic of the Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and African Union Chairperson Evariste Ndayishimiye.

Kaseya stated that the $1.4 billion is needed in addition to $200 million required for the health response plan. At the June 16 meeting, pledges of $910 million were received for the health response. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has provided $50 million of the requested $200 million for the health response plan. Kaseya stated that anyone exposed to the virus needs to be isolated and monitored for 21 days and that closing borders is not the solution to stopping the outbreak.

The World Food Programme is assisting more than 1.2 million people with nutrition support and humanitarian logistics in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since late May, the program has provided over 36,000 hot meals to patients, caregivers, and individuals under observation in Ebola treatment centers. The World Food Programme is seeking $72 million over the next six months to sustain food assistance, air services, and logistics operations.