Head Of UN Mission In DR Congo, US Health Agency Chief Discuss Ebola Response - Spokesman

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th September, 2019) UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) head Leila Zerrougi on Friday held a meeting with US Department of Health and Human Services chief Alex Azar to address the efforts in fighting Ebola in the DRC, United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing.

"Leila Zerrougi, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the mission there, met today with US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar to discuss the fight against Ebola, as well as other health emergencies," Dujarric told reporters on Friday.

Dujarric said that Zerrougi reiterated the importance of the United States' support in fighting the Ebola epidemic as well as other diseases, including measles, cholera and malaria, that severely affect the population of the DRC.

Earlier in September, the United States provided $21 million for the response to fight the Ebola epidemic in the DRC.

As of mid-August, nearly 3,000 Ebola cases had been reported in the DRC with a two-third fatality rate, according to the World Health Organization.

In July, the World Health Organization declared the Ebola epidemic a public health emergency of international concern when a new case was reported in Goma, a city of about 2 million bordering Rwanda.

In just over a year, the Ebola epidemic has become the second deadliest on record with nearly 2,000 deaths. A 2014-15 outbreak in West Africa killed more than 11,000 people.