Airlines urged to tighten safety protocols amid Ebola outbreak

A sanitation worker from the Bunia city government sprays chlorine to disinfect the central market, as Ituri province continues to combat an Ebola outbreak, in Bunia, Congo.   -  
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Global health officials are on high alert as the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to spread, now crossing borders into neighboring Uganda.

The UN’s aviation agency is urging governments and airlines to follow strict post-pandemic health guidelines to prevent further transmission through air travel.

The World Health Organization warns that escalating violence and humanitarian crises in eastern DRC are severely disrupting containment efforts.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says conflict in Ituri Province is forcing civilians and health workers to flee, making contact tracing and early treatment increasingly difficult.

Uganda has now confirmed seven Ebola cases, including infections among healthcare workers, with one reported death.

Health officials warn the coming weeks could see even more cases detected across the region.

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