Washington, May 20: The Trump administration has pledged significant assistance to combat the rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, while sharply criticizing the World Health Organization (WHO) for its delayed response.
U.S. officials claim that the WHO’s late issuance of a global alert resulted in a critical loss of time for necessary action.
Senior U.S. officials revealed that Washington has already committed nearly $23 million in humanitarian and health aid. Additionally, a substantial package is being prepared to establish around 50 Ebola treatment centers and clinics in the affected areas.
One official stated that the U.S. is now poised to take major action, indicating that this assistance could reach “hundreds of millions of dollars,” as various organizations are setting up clinics and deploying medical staff.
According to officials, the outbreak is primarily concentrated in a remote and conflict-affected region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This has complicated efforts to identify patients, deliver essential supplies, and deploy relief teams.
A senior official noted during a press briefing, “We were slow to act because the WHO was also a bit late. They received reports of viral hemorrhagic fever on May 5, but it took them ten days to confirm it was the Ebola strain.”
The official emphasized that this delay has proven detrimental, as even a few days can make a significant difference.
U.S. officials reported that the WHO publicly confirmed the outbreak on May 15. Following this announcement, the U.S. immediately initiated an emergency response involving the CDC, State Department, and several humanitarian agencies.
The U.S. State Department has activated a 24-hour task force, including officials who worked during the Ebola crises of 2014 and 2018. Additionally, a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) has been dispatched to the region, with personnel arriving in Kinshasa and Kampala.
Officials confirmed that one person associated with the U.S. evacuation effort has tested positive for Ebola, while several others are under monitoring.
An official stated, “So far, we have one positive case. Eight individuals are being evacuated from the area.”
The U.S. has also imposed strict travel restrictions. Under the CDC’s Title 42 order, foreign nationals who have traveled to the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past 21 days will not be permitted entry into the United States.
However, officials mentioned that the national football team of the DRC may still participate in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, as players are currently training in Europe and may not fall under the 21-day restriction.
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Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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