WHO director-general: Violence in DRC is allowing Ebola to spread - STAT

WHO director-general: Violence in DRC is allowing Ebola to spread - STAT

Violence in DRC is allowing Ebola to spread, WHO leader says

WHO DIRECTOR-GENERAL TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS IN DRC IN JUNE. (JUNIOR D. KANNAH/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

Ongoing violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo — including an attack Friday close to a hotel where Ebola responders are housed — is allowing the virus to spread, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says. STAT’s Helen Branswell spoke with the director-general this weekend about the response effort. Here are a few key highlights from their conversation, which you can read in full here.

• On the violence: "The attacks have increased since Ebola started, both in intensity and frequency. So it’s a very dangerous situation."
• On U.S. personnel not being allowed to work near the epicenter due to security concerns: "They’re supporting us financially, so we can deploy people. I don’t think the personnel issue is a problem."
• On DRC's upcoming elections: "We’re working with the government to have infection prevention and control measures included in the preparation for the election, for instance in polling stations."