Thread by @WHO

LIVE from WHO HQ: Press Conference on the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on #Ebola in #DRC pscp.tv/w/cHnimTI2MTAy…

"The Emergency Committee has recommended that the current #Ebola outbreak in #DRC continues to pose a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO "The #Ebola outbreak in #DRC remains a complex and dangerous outbreak. We need the full force of all partners to bring this outbreak under control and to meet the needs of the people affected"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO "One of the concerns with declaring a Public Health Emergency of International Concern is that some countries may impose unnecessary restrictions on travel and trade.
We’re very pleased to note that so far, no country has done that"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre "Together with our partners, in #DRC we’ve expanded #Ebola screening and contact tracing, strengthened infection prevention and control, and intensified preparedness efforts in neighbouring countries"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre "We’ve also adapted security measures to protect health workers in #DRC while improving community trust, and deployed a new data collection tool"-@DrTedros on #Ebola outbreak in 🇨🇩

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms "We’ve implemented several new #Ebola vaccination strategies, which have resulted in doubling the existing vaccine supply, allowing for more than 230,000 people to be vaccinated against Ebola"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms "We’ve contained #Ebola in former hotspots in #DRC such as Beni, and successfully prevented onward transmission in Goma and Uganda. The number of cases has declined each week for the past four weeks. But these encouraging trends should be interpreted with caution"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms "Although the #Ebola outbreak is now concentrated in a smaller geographic area, that area is more rural and difficult to reach. We must treat every case as if it is the first, because every single case has the potential to spark a new and bigger outbreak"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms "We are actually continuing to increase our efforts. Until we reach zero #Ebola cases, we are in full response mode"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms "Security continues to be a major concern. We cannot end this #Ebola outbreak without a conducive environment in which health workers can safely access the people who need their help. The risk of spread within #DRC and to neighbouring countries remains very high"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms "We continue to face funding constraints. So far, we have received half of the money needed to maintain response efforts to this #Ebola outbreak. That puts health security across the globe at risk"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms "Funding for #Ebola preparedness in surrounding countries is grossly inadequate. This is dangerously short-sighted, and frankly difficult to understand. If we fail to prepare, we are preparing to fail. We must fix the roof before the rain comes"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms The IHR Emergency Committee on #Ebola in #DRC issued the following recommendations for the affected countries ⬇

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms The IHR Emergency Committee on #Ebola in #DRC issued the following recommendations for countries at risk ⬇

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms The IHR Emergency Committee on #Ebola in #DRC issued the following recommendations for all States ⬇

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms The IHR Emergency Committee on #Ebola in #DRC emphasized the importance of continued support by WHO and other national and international partners towards the effective implementation and monitoring of these recommendations.

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms .@DrTedros endorsed the Committee’s advice and issued them as Temporary Recommendations under IHR (2005) to reduce the international spread of #Ebola.

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms .@DrTedros thanked the IHR Emergency Committee Members and Advisors on #Ebola in #DRC for their advice and requested their reassessment of this situation within three months.

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms The full statement on the meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee for #Ebola virus disease in #DRC 👉 bit.ly/2OVjebj

@DrTedros @WHOAFRO @OMSRDCONGO @UN_News_Centre @opsoms The full statement by @DrTedros on IHR Emergency Committee on #Ebola in #DRC 👉 bit.ly/32rrljz