WASHINGTON, USA – The United States, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing more than $3.5 million in rapid response Ebola assistance to support efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Guinea. The assistance will support disease surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, community awareness and social mobilization, and logistics management.
On February 7, 2021, the ministry of health in the DRC confirmed an Ebola outbreak in North Kivu Province. Separately, on February 14, 2021, the Guinean ministry of health also confirmed an Ebola outbreak. At this time, DRC reports 11 confirmed cases including four deaths and Guinea reports 18 confirmed and probable cases including eight deaths. The US assistance will complement the ongoing response efforts of the governments of DRC and Guinea.
USAID is working closely with other US departments and agencies, US embassies, the ministries of health in Guinea, the DRC, and neighboring countries, WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Africa CDC and other multilateral and bilateral partners to ensure efforts are well integrated and aligned with each country’s Ebola response plan. Ending these Ebola outbreaks is a priority for the United States. USAID is committed to helping affected communities control outbreaks quickly and effectively. Swift outbreak control will help prevent the spread to other countries.
Between 2014 and 2020, the US government was the largest bilateral donor to respond to multiple Ebola outbreaks in West Africa and the DRC. The US government’s coordinated, whole-of-government response to the current Ebola outbreaks incorporates lessons learned from past outbreaks, including best practices to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse in response efforts. Affected countries, the United States, and the world are more prepared to cope with infectious disease outbreaks — including COVID-19 and Ebola — due to ongoing investments to improve global health security across the region.
