Key facts
- Fighters linked to Islamic State, identified as the ADF, killed at least 21 civilians in Mbau village, eastern Congo.
- The ADF militants set fire to homes and abducted civilians during the attack.
- The attack occurred near an area with reported Ebola cases in the DRC.
- The World Health Organization launched a $518 million, six-month plan for Africa's Ebola response.
- WHO head Tedros Ghebreyesus warned the current Ebola response is insufficient.
- Uganda confirmed six new Ebola cases, bringing its total to 15.
- India delivered Ebola treatment aid to the Africa CDC in Uganda.
- Bangladesh reported five more child deaths from a measles outbreak, raising the total to 610.
- A Sudanese national was isolated in Hyderabad, India, with suspected Ebola symptoms.
- Three individuals returning from Ebola-affected African nations were quarantined in Durg, Chhattisgarh, India.
- An Ebola scare involving a Ugandan woman in Rajasthan, India, was ruled out after she tested negative.
Fighters identified as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist group linked to Islamic State, have killed at least 21 civilians in Mbau village, North Kivu province, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The attack, which occurred overnight, saw the militants set fire to homes and abduct civilians, with the death toll rising after additional bodies were discovered. This violence took place near an area with reported Ebola cases, amidst a wider outbreak in the DRC. The ADF is a Ugandan group with links to Islamic State.
In response to the broader Ebola crisis in Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a $518 million, six-month plan to combat the outbreak. However, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus has warned that the current response is insufficient, stating the virus has gained a head start despite improved testing and that more robust measures are needed. RedHill Biopharma is reportedly in discussions regarding potential collaborations for its drug opaganib.
Uganda has reported six new confirmed Ebola cases, bringing its national total to 15. The country's health ministry confirmed these new cases on Tuesday. In a separate development, India delivered urgent medical assistance, including Ebola treatment aid, to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in Uganda, following a request from the Africa CDC to support their response efforts.
Elsewhere, Bangladesh is grappling with a significant measles outbreak, with five additional child deaths reported, bringing the total confirmed and suspected deaths to 610 since March 15. In India, a Sudanese national was moved to an isolation center in Hyderabad with suspected Ebola symptoms after arriving at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. Three individuals returning from Ebola-affected African nations were placed under quarantine in Durg, Chhattisgarh, with the state's Health Minister asserting preparedness for potential outbreaks. A separate Ebola scare in Rajasthan involving a Ugandan woman exhibiting suspected symptoms was ruled out after she tested negative for the virus.