Ebola cases in DR Congo, Uganda surpass 600 amid operational constraints: Africa CDC

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Addis Ababa, June 9 (IANS) Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda have surpassed 600 as response efforts face operational constraints, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Tuesday.

In its latest outbreak update, the African Union’s specialised continental public health agency said confirmed Ebola cases in the DRC and Uganda have reached 608, with the death toll climbing to 102 as of Monday, representing a case fatality rate of 16.7 per cent, Xinhua news agency.

Uganda has reported 19 cumulative cases and no new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. In the DRC, 45 new confirmed cases were reported during the past 24 hours, all in Ituri Province, according to the Africa CDC.

The outbreak’s transmission is currently concentrated in Ituri Province in eastern DRC, which accounts for more than 94 per cent of the country’s total caseload, it said.

The Africa CDC warned that ongoing response efforts are “facing significant operational constraints,” noting that health facilities in several affected areas are in poor condition and often lack potable water, incinerators, personal protective equipment, and decontamination supplies.

Insecurity, shortage of ambulances, growing staffing pressures with some health workers unpaid or without incentives, and poor roads are further slowing access and response operations, it said, while highlighting the existing lack of community trust as “a critical challenge” jeopardising ongoing response efforts.

The agency also expressed concern over the negative impacts of travel restrictions imposed on affected and at-risk African countries despite guidance from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Africa CDC.

The Africa CDC outlined several “immediate priorities,” including strengthening community engagement and risk communication, fast-tracking multidisciplinary rapid response teams to high-risk areas, addressing gaps in infection prevention and safe burial, as well as enhancing surveillance and contact follow-up.

–IANS

ksk/dan

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Congress seeks SOP to avoid public panic after PM’s appeal on fuel, gold

Dehradun, May 11 (IANS) Congress leader and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Harish Rawat on Monday reacted sharply to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal asking citizens to avoid foreign travel, reduce gold purchases for a year if possible, alleging that the Centre’s economic policies have worsened inflation and increased the burden on common people. He also demanded that the Centre issue a clear Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent confusion among the people.

Speaking to IANS, Rawat said the promises made before elections are no longer visible on the ground and that the public is bearing the brunt of rising prices.

“The government is only making appeals, while the economic situation was already bad and is likely to worsen further,” he claimed.

Taking a swipe at the Prime Minister’s ties with US President Donald Trump, Rawat said, “The Prime Minister publicly says, ‘My good friend Donald Trump.’ All these global problems, including inflation today in the country, have been caused by Trump, his friend,” adding, “We could not play the global role that India was capable of.”

He further said that while appeals at the national level are acceptable, “policies should also be kept right.”

Rawat also claimed discrimination against states in the distribution of petrol, diesel and cooking gas, and asserted that it is the Opposition’s responsibility to monitor government policies and oppose decisions it considers wrong.

“Whenever someone speaks up or raises their voice on such disparity, they are told that they are speaking against the country,” he alleged.

The Congress veteran also demanded that the government issue a clear SOP to prevent fear and confusion among the public.

He said the Congress would cooperate with the government in matters of national interest but would continue to play the role of a strong Opposition.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand minister Ganesh Joshi supported the Prime Minister’s appeal and said he, too, had decided to minimise the use of cars for local work.

“I have also taken a pledge that for all local work where a vehicle is not necessary, we should avoid using cars. For example, if I have to go home, I can use an Activa. For local programmes also, I will use an Activa,” Joshi said.

Reacting to the minister’s statement, Rawat took a dig and remarked, “We hope others will follow it as well, however, one should pray for the safety of the scooter on which Ganesh Joshi would be riding.”

He reiterated that while the Prime Minister’s appeal at the national level was fine, the government must ensure sound economic policies to tackle inflation and public concerns.

–IANS

sn/rad

Two interstate looters held after gunfight with Bhubaneswar Police

Bhubaneswar, April 4 (IANS) Two dreaded criminals were arrested following an encounter with the police on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

The accused, identified as Manish Yadav and Sonu Yadav of Katihar district in Bihar, were arrested late Thursday night.

Police said the accused persons reportedly belong to a dreaded gang of chain snatchers active in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.

After reviewing the CCTV footage, the police identified the accused and initiated efforts to nab them.

Acting on a tip-off about the duo moving on the Cuttack-Puri Bypass road, police rushed to the spot. The cops came across the duo at Sai Temple Square near Tankapani.

While trying to run away, the duo’s bike crashed into a concrete wall near the Bankuala area of the city. The criminals later opened fire at the Police, who also fired in retaliation.

The injured looters were first rushed to the Capital Hospital and later to SCB Medical College in Cuttack for treatment.

“The accused used to reach their target destinations by train, commit crimes in the targeted city and return to Bihar,” the sources added.

The accused are reportedly involved in six looting incidents in Bhubaneshwar and the Puri area last month.

A case has been registered at the Badagada Police Station in this regard.

Speaking to media persons, Police Commissioner S. Dev Datta Singh said, “This chain snatchers’ gang has been on police radar for the past few days. They came to Bhubaneshwar on March 20 and committed four snatching incidents in the city. Later, they went to Puri and committed more snatching cases there before returning to Bihar.”

Singh added that the accused used a stolen vehicle for the crime. He stated that police followed the accused after they came to Bhubaneswar again on Thursday.

The Police Commissioner informed the media that the duo sustained bullet injuries on their legs in the retaliatory firing of the police.

The police have seized a 7.5 mm and a 9mm pistol from the possession of the looters.

Commissioner Singh has warned of strict action against the criminals who defy the police and try to harm the common man.

–IANS

gyan/svn

China issues blue alert for Typhoon Pabuk

Beijing, Dec 23 (IANS) China’s national observatory issued a blue alert on Monday evening for Typhoon Pabuk, which is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the country’s southern regions.

Typhoon Pabuk, the 26th typhoon of this year, was located 190 km north of Yongshu Reef, part of the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea, at 5 pm on Monday.

It is forecast to travel westward and then move southwestward at 5-10 km per hour, Xinhua news agency reported.

Affected by the typhoon, gales are forecast to sweep parts of the East China Sea, waters east of Taiwan Island, the Taiwan Strait, the Bashi Channel, the Beibu Gulf, the South China Sea, as well as the coastal areas of Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong and Hainan from 8 pm Monday to 8 pm Tuesday, the centre said.

Meanwhile, it said that areas including Xisha Qundao, Zhongsha Qundao and Nansha Qundao are expected to see heavy rainstorms, with precipitation reaching between 50 mm and 80 mm.

The centre has urged local authorities to prepare emergency typhoon responses and remain on high alert for possible flooding and geological disasters.

Last month, typhoon Man-yi brought tidal waves to China’s Guangdong Province, causing waterlogging in several cities and towns and prompting the suspension of ferry services.

In October, typhoon Trami claimed seven lives in the Chinese island province of Hainan.

Trami was the 20th typhoon of the year and had brought heavy rainfall to many parts of Hainan since October 28, forcing over 40,000 people to evacuate.

China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

In September, more than 430,000 people in Shangqiu City, China’s Henan Province, were affected by heavy rainfall brought by typhoon Bebinca.

Bebinca was the 13th typhoon of 2024 and made landfall in Shanghai on September 16. It was the strongest typhoon to hit the metropolis in 75 years.

–IANS

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