The United States on Thursday announced an additional $80 million in funding to support efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
The fresh allocation brings total US assistance to $112 million since the outbreak was declared, according to a statement released by the State Department.
“The US government continues a comprehensive and coordinated response to contain the Ebola outbreak at its source, protect the American people, and prevent further international spread,” the statement said.
The funding will support the supply of protective equipment for healthcare workers, regional border screening operations, diagnostic test kits, and other emergency response needs.
The announcement comes amid criticism from Democrats and humanitarian organisations over the Trump administration’s handling of the crisis, particularly following the United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organization and the dismantling of the USAID aid agency.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that Washington remained committed to preventing the virus from spreading to the United States.
According to the World Health Organization, the outbreak has resulted in 10 confirmed deaths and 223 suspected Ebola-related deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo since it was officially declared on May 15.
The WHO added that more than 1,000 confirmed and suspected cases have so far been recorded, although health officials believe the true scale of the outbreak may be significantly higher.
AFP
