India-Africa summit postponed as Ebola outbreak spreads to South Kivu

The India-Africa Forum Summit has been postponed after a worsening Ebola outbreak in Africa, with authorities confirming a first case in South Kivu province, prompting concerns over the spread of the virus across new regions.

The decision comes amid a developing public health emergency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the outbreak has expanded beyond its initial epicentre and continues to trigger international concern over large-scale gatherings, News.Az reports, citing France 24.

According to reports, the outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no vaccine is currently available, and has already been associated with hundreds of suspected cases and deaths in eastern Congo.

Health authorities confirmed that the newly detected case in South Kivu represents a geographic spread of the outbreak, which had initially been concentrated in other provinces before extending further south-east.

The World Health Organization has declared the situation a public health emergency of international concern, while aid agencies have warned that the response is being hampered by insecurity, displacement and limited medical supplies in affected areas.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova