RECENT NEWS
DRC Schools Reopen in Ebola Epicentre despite Fears 3,000 Dead as Government Presses Ahead With Term
Schools have reopened across the Democratic Republic of Congo, including in the Ebola epicentre of Ituri province, despite the death toll surpassing 3,000 and teachers and parents voicing serious concerns about safety. Schools reopened across the Democratic Republic of Congo on September 1 for the new academic year, including in the eastern provinces hardest hit by the Ebola outbreak, despite the death toll surpassing 3,000 and widespread concern among parents and teachers. The government pressed ahead with the reopening, arguing that the risk of children falling behind in their education outweighed the risk of transmission. The Outbreak and the Decision to Reopen The current Ebola outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment, has become the fastest-growing in the disease's history. As of the end of August, there were 6,186 confirmed cases and 3,007 deaths, with Ituri province accounting for more than four-fifths of confirmed cases. Despite the rising case numbers, the government decided to reopen schools as scheduled. The Ministry of Education introduced a three-tier system green, orange, and red based on the intensity of E...
