France to step up Ebola support in Congo, foreign minister says during Bunia visit

Mixed · 2French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on 3 October that France will step up its support for efforts against Ebola in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, speaking during a visit to a region hit by the virus. 1 2 Mixed · 2He made the trip to Bunia, in north-eastern Congo's Ituri province, which RFI describes as the epicentre of the outbreak; both outlets call it a rare visit by a Western politician. 1 2 Mixed · 2Barrot said he would propose additional humanitarian funding for Ebola during upcoming French budget discussions; RFI notes the budget is already stretched by record public debt. No amount was given. 1 2

Mixed · 2France allocated €13.4 million to the fight against Ebola between January and July. Its response has come through humanitarian aid, medical research and the PRISM programme launched during President Emmanuel Macron's 2023 visit. 1 2 Mixed · 2A national humanitarian conference is due in Paris on 6 October, where Ebola is on the agenda. 1 2 Mixed · 2Barrot warned: "Ebola may seem far away to some people or political leaders, but it can return very quickly. Our responsibility is to prevent those resurgences." He praised Congolese authorities, UN agencies, humanitarian organisations and medical workers for containing the epidemic and keeping it out of major urban centres in Congo and beyond. 1 2

Mixed · 2Asked whether the virus could spread after a case was reported in France, he said: "There is no need to fear or worry. First and foremost, we must fight the epidemic where it emerges." RFI says a doctor tested positive after returning to France on 23 June from a humanitarian mission in Congo and later made a full recovery. 1 2 Centre · 1Congolese health ministry figures released on Thursday showed 4,042 deaths among 8,376 cases since the outbreak was declared on 15 May, and RFI calls it the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history. The WHO has said it is on track to exceed the 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak, which killed 11,000 people. 2 Centre · 1The picture is mixed. Africa CDC says confirmed cases fell from around 850 cases and 470 deaths a week in mid-July to an average of 490 cases and 230 deaths in September, but warns this could reflect insecurity and poor community cooperation. MSF says North Kivu accounts for 40 percent of new confirmed cases since late August, while Health Minister Roger Kamba said the outbreak had peaked and that 19 of 63 affected zones had recorded no cases for at least three weeks. 2

Right · 1The Straits Times, carrying Reuters, also says a laboratory-confirmed case of mpox was identified in Bunia in mid-September; RFI does not mention this. 1