The World Health Organization chief says Congo's Ebola outbreak had a head start but that testing is improving, even as violence plagues the region. Since mid-May, 344 cases and 60 deaths have been confirmed in three eastern provinces. The number of suspected cases has dropped significantly. Uganda has 15 confirmed cases, including one death. The outbreak involves a rare Ebola type with no approved medicine or vaccine. Limited testing and access issues make assessing the outbreak's extent difficult. WHO's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that only 45% of contacts have been traced, with insecurity and displacement complicating efforts. Health workers face challenges, including attacks and skepticism about Ebola's existence.
Hundreds of youths in the Kenyan town of Nanyuki have demonstrated against an Ebola quarantine center at Laikipia Air Base. The protests took place two days after Kenya's High Court suspended the facility's establishment and the arrival of foreign patients. The Law Society of Kenya and a constitutional watchdog filed a case citing Kenya's fragile health system. U.S. officials said Thursday that Americans exposed to Ebola abroad would be sent to the new facility. Health Minister Aden Duale said Sunday the center was for everyone, not just U.S. nationals. The U.S. government says it plans to commit $13.5 million to Kenya's Ebola preparedness efforts.
School attendance tanked during the pandemic and has only started to recover. One reason? Parents are struggling to decide when it's OK to send a child to school while sick. During the pandemic, schools had strict COVID-19 protocols. Many parents kept kids home for days after they had a cough or fever. Schools and health experts are now saying it is OK to send children to class with some symptoms of illness, including a runny nose or cough. If your child has a fever, keep them home from school until the fever is gone for 24 hours without medication.
