Cuba offers medical expertise to Congo amid Ebola outbreak

Cuba has offered medical expertise and technical assistance to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to combat a severe Ebola outbreak. During a videoconference between the health ministries of both nations, Cuban Public Health Minister José Ángel Portal Miranda offered to share lessons learned by the Henry Reeve Contingent during the 2014 West African epidemic.

Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba reported a rapid expansion of the virus, noting that affected health zones increased from four to 60 across six provinces in just three months. The outbreak has seen a fatality rate exceeding 40 percent, with reports indicating over 3,000 deaths and 6,100 confirmed cases. Congolese authorities expressed a need for support in monitoring the epidemic, strengthening patient care, and managing medical supplies, particularly as a specific vaccine for the current variant is unavailable.

In response to the regional threat, Cuba has activated its National Plan for the Prevention and Confrontation of Ebola, which includes increased surveillance of international travelers and the preparation of 24 entry points into the country.