Concern about the Ebola outbreak declared in Congo

BarcelonaMore than 300 suspected cases and at least 88 deaths attributable to Ebola. This is the toll so far reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the outbreak declared in Congo. Last Friday, the public health agency of the African Union reported the new outbreak, and alarms have been raised because it is feared that it may have a wide geographical spread. The WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern on Saturday, the highest level of public alert that the organization can declare, but this does not mean that the outbreak has become a pandemic. In fact, experts are sending a message of reassurance because the risk of transmission outside of Central Africa is very low.

this Monday the Spanish government has advised against traveling to the affected regionPolitically, the President of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssof, has expressed "deep concern" about the outbreak and has called on member states to "intensify support for preparedness, surveillance and rapid response initiatives in affected and at-risk countries." Despite the situation, Youssof also expressed confidence that the spread can be contained, as has been done on other occasions. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak recorded in Congo since the virus was first detected in 1976.

To prevent its spread and following the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern by the WHO over the weekend, this Monday the Spanish government has advised against traveling to the affected region. Also today, coinciding with the Ebola outbreak and a few days after the hantavirus outbreak, the 79th World Health Assembly of the WHO is being held in Geneva, where the president of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, has intervened, using the appearance to once again position himself as the antithesis of Donald Trump.

One year after the United States' withdrawal from the WHO signed by the American president, Sánchez, without directly mentioning Trump or the United States, has highlighted the importance of international organizations in addressing health crises. He did refer to the United States when he criticized the cuts in public health and development aid made by the Trump administration, subsequently contrasting this budget decrease with the cost of the war in Iran.