Response must outpace spread of Ebola: UN relief chief

The world must move faster to contain an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that is growing exponentially, the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator warned on Tuesday.Although the UN and its partners have scaled up their response, a $1.1 billion funding gap remains as the DRC grapples with the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record.During the first 100 days of the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed 635 cases and 399 deaths across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.In the first 100 days since the DRC Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak was declared on 15 May, there were 5,515 cases and 2,642 deaths.By Monday, local authorities had reported 6,100 confirmed cases and 2,950 deaths, with more than 5,000 cases recorded in Ituri Province alone.“The response is growing and has been scaled up, but the virus is moving faster,” relief chief Tom Fletcher said. “And unless we scale up urgently, more lives will be lost and the threat will grow.”Cautious success in UgandaMr. Fletcher commended the DRC Government and UN partners for their efforts to contain the epidemic.He pointed to Uganda, where the WHO last week declared an end to the...