UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Friday adopted a statement on the most recent outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities by all armed groups.
In the statement, the Security Council highlighted the urgency of the Ebola response, "because the disease could spread rapidly, including to neighbouring countries, possibly having serious humanitarian consequences and impacting regional stability."
The council reiterated its serious concern regarding the security situation in the areas affected by the Ebola outbreak, in particular the attacks on humanitarian and medical personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties, which is severely hampering the response efforts and facilitating the spread of the virus in the DRC and the wider region, according to the statement.
The Security Council emphasized the importance of strengthening international support and engagement, including full and timely financial contributions to the response, technical assistance, scientific cooperation and human resources to bring the disease permanently and successfully under control.
This week marks one year since the start of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the DRC that has already killed more than 1,700 people, making it the second worst Ebola outbreak in history. On July 17, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Ebola in the DRC as a public health emergency of international concern.
Several United Nations agencies on Wednesday issued a joint statement calling for solidarity to end the current Ebola outbreak in the DRC.
