WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has reconvened an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 on Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 17 July following the fourth meeting of the Emergency Committee. The first meeting took place on 17 October 2018.
The Committee will meet for a fifth time on 10 October 2019, in Geneva from 12-5 pm CEST, to ascertain whether the ongoing outbreak still constitutes a public health emergency of international concern and to review the temporary recommendations that are in place to manage the outbreak.
The Committee’s advice will be made public on WHO’s website and via a press conference (details below).
Background on the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Eastern DRC
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is grappling with the world’s second largest Ebola epidemic on record, with more than 2000 lives lost and 1000 survivors among the 3000 confirmed infections. The outbreak was declared on 1 August 2018, and has affected North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces. WHO and partners have been supporting national officials responding to the outbreak since it was first declared. WHO has more than 650 staff on the ground.
Neighbouring countries are taking steps to mitigate the risk of spread.
Sources of information:
• Ebola outbreak: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/ebola/drc-2019
• Media resources: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/ebola/drc-2019/media-resources
• Emergency Committee: https://www.who.int/ihr/procedures/ihr_committees/en/
WHAT: Virtual press conference (VPC) for journalists. An audio file of the press conference will be distributed to journalists shortly after the conference ends.
WHEN: 10 October, 2019 at 19:00 GENEVA time
WHERE: Geneva-based, UN-accredited journalists may attend the press conference in person at WHO headquarters in Geneva.
All journalists may dial in (see dial-in information below).
How to access the Virtual Press Conference – 10 October 2019
Please try to call in at least 10 minutes before the conference begins in order to be registered correctly. From the list below, please use the number closest to you. If you have problems with a number, try the toll number from a neighbouring country or call Switzerland: +41445806522, or France +33170709502, or the United States +18774230830
You can also use a VoIP programme such as Skype to call the US toll-free: +18774230830
On connecting, type PIN code: 63504156# on your telephone keypad and then record your name and media outlet (speaking clearly and slowly) and then press again the # key. Please note, only participants who have clearly identified themselves and their media outlet will be able to ask questions.
To ask a question during the question and answer session, registered participants should type 01 on their telephone keypad, this will place you in the queue to ask questions.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO).
Source: Apo-Opa
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