DR Congo’s confirmed Ebola cases top 3,200: UN spokesman

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reached 3,200, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said during a press conference at the UN headquarters on Monday.

Haq said that the Ebola outbreak continues to expand, with rising numbers of cases and deaths putting ever more pressure on health services and UN efforts to respond.

“As of July 25, national health authorities had reported 3,200 confirmed Ebola cases across Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo provinces. More than 100 new confirmed cases have been reported for the second consecutive day. We, along with our partners, continue to support the authorities on surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing and patient care. The World Food Programme (WFP) has provided more than 140,000 hot meals and food to over 23,000 patients, contacts and vulnerable people impacted by the outbreak in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) and our partners have also carried out more than 27,000 household visits to support the identification and follow-up of suspected cases in affected communities,” said Haq.

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in the DRC rose to 1,405, according to the latest situation report released by the country’s health authorities late Sunday.

Declared on May 15, the ongoing Ebola outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus and has spread from the northeastern province of Ituri to five provinces.

Slovak citizens have spoken highly of China’s remarkable development accomplishments and voiced expectations for closer bilateral cooperation as their president is paying a state visit to China.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, President of the Slovak Republic Peter Pellegrini is on a state visit to China from Monday to Wednesday.

In a recent vox pop by China Global Television Network (CGTN), local people in Bratislava, Slovakia’s capital, shared their impressions of China, outlooks on bilateral relations, and hopes for the presidential visit. Interviewees across different professions praised China’s progress, with many highlighting its remarkable advances in infrastructure, technological innovation and economic growth.

Daniele, an IT developer, was particularly drawn to China’s rich cultural heritage.

“It has a very nice culture, so that’s why in the future I think I will visit this country,” he said.

For others, China’s forward-looking vision is a major source of inspiration. Veronika, a sales clerk, expressed her fascination with the country’s technological strides.

“I have a very positive view of China. I’m fascinated by its technology and enjoy learning about it. I think there’s a lot we can learn from China, and I really admire how forward-looking it is,” she said.

Robin, another sales clerk, sees valuable lessons for Slovakia in China’s economic model.

“It’s a big country with a long history, and I think concerning the economy, it’s something we can learn about to make our own economy more versatile,” he said.

Jan Kubo, an administrative manager, was impressed by the sheer scale of China’s development.

“China impressed me with the sheer scale of infrastructure development and economic growth,” he said.

Looking ahead to how bilateral ties may evolve after the state visit, most interviewees expressed optimism about mutually beneficial collaboration.

“I think China could really contribute a lot to Slovakia’s development. As I mentioned earlier, this is particularly the case with technology – whether it’s cars, machinery, heavy equipment, or everyday items like phones, tablets and computers. There’s definitely a lot we can learn from China, and I believe that’s going to help us move forward,” said Veronika.

“It’s very important that these countries work together because they can learn from each other,” said Robin.

When it comes to overall expectations for the presidential visit, local residents looked forward to tangible outcomes and closer bonds between the two countries.

“I certainly expect the visit to bring tangible benefits to our country. I hope the two sides will reach agreements that benefit the Slovak Republic,” said Veronika.

“He is representing our European values, this is very important. But also strengthen the ties between the two countries,” said Robin.