A strain of Ebola for which there is no vaccine is spreading rapidly in eastern Congo. The World Health Organisation has declared the outbreak an international emergency. Cases have now been confirmed outside of Ituri, the epicentre of the outbreak, in both Goma and Uganda. There are estimated 8 million displaced people in the region, many of whom are in the Ebola affected area. Their living conditions make them especially vulnerable to Ebola, and the significant reduction in funding for humanitarian assistance has left them with very limited access to basic healthcare.
Two thirds of Virunga National Park and most of its personnel operate in the Ebola affected area. Virunga National Park is raising an emergency fund to respond to this unfolding health crisis. As the organisation that successfully built and managed the screening stations in previous outbreaks, Virunga staff have the experience and expertise to help contain the spread of Ebola, but Virunga’s resources are already incredibly stretched and time is critical.