Checkpoint Crisis: Congo's Ebola Outbreak Underfunded

In response to an escalating Ebola outbreak, towns in the Democratic Republic of Congo have set up checkpoints to manage the movement of people and mitigate virus spread. Officials fear the outbreak, recently declared in Kasai province, could spread due to insufficient funding and resources.

The outbreak, Congo's first in three years, has seen a rise in suspected cases, now totaling 32, with 20 confirmations and 16 deaths. In Bulape, the outbreak's epicenter, authorities have restricted movement, while some residents flee to the bush to escape quarantine.

International aid workers express concern over the ability to effectively combat the outbreak due to recent funding cuts. The World Health Organization plans to dispatch treatments and the Ervebo vaccine to vaccinate health workers and contacts in the area.

(With inputs from agencies.)