30^th  August update: The numbers of people who have died in the current Ebola outbreak in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached the 2,000 mark, government figures show.  The World Health Organization has called the situation one of the world’s “most complex humanitarian crises”. 

Samaritan’s Purse opened an Ebola Treatment Centre on Jan. 17 in Komanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), to meet the needs of suffering people as this deadly disease continues to spread. We are running the centre with dedicated national Congolese staff under the oversight of a small international team.

“The Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently experiencing the world’s second worst Ebola outbreak in history,” said Rachel Gruenloh, Samaritan’s Purse Ebola response specialist. “With well over 2,300 Ebola cases now confirmed in the country, Samaritan’s Purse has responded by opening a 56-bed Ebola treatment centre for patients in DRC’s Ituri province. We are also supporting a number of health facilities in the region with ongoing training on infection prevention and control, providing them with the knowledge and physical tools needed to identify and fight Ebola in their communities.”

We have treated 570 patients to date at our Ebola Treatment Centre. We have devoted many of our efforts to children fighting this heartbreaking disease, as over 50 percent of all cases are minors, and over one-third of all cases are under the age of five.

As of 2^ndJuly, over 2,300 people in DRC have been infected with Ebola, and 1,586 have died from the disease. Sadly, those numbers continue to rise. The fatality rate of the current Ebola outbreak in DRC is a staggering 67 percent—a rate that is elevated due to ongoing violence and resistance among community members.

As Ebola continues to affect this central Africa nation, we remain steadfast in helping in Jesus’ Name. Though the fatality rate of the current outbreak is high, treatments and supportive care offered by our doctors and nurses can save lives. Your gift today will enable our teams to provide expert medical care and share the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with patients. Please pray for those facing Ebola and for our staff as they continue to treat patients at our Ebola Treatment Centre.