Mexico, the United States, and Canada announced this Thursday the introduction of measures to prevent the spread of Ebola during the World Cup (which the three countries are co-hosting), according to a brief statement issued by the U.S. Department of State. “The health and safety of all people in the region remain our top priority as we welcome the world to North America,” the U.S. agency added. The outbreak of the disease—officially declared an epidemic on May 14 in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)—has raised alarms just two weeks ahead of the event, having already tallied 238 “suspected deaths.”
The three nations are hosting the largest soccer tournament in history to date, which is set to kick off on June 11 in Mexico City with a match pitting the Mexican national team against South Africa. The Department of State’s statement does not specify exactly what these preventive measures entail, though it asserts that the coordinated approach aims to protect the citizens of the three host countries, as well as “the millions of visitors, fans, athletes, and tourists expected to attend the World Cup.” All of this is to be accomplished “while maintaining the flow of travel and trade across our borders.”
The epicenter of the major outbreak was the province of Ituri, which borders Uganda and South Sudan. This region, located in the eastern part of the country, was the source of a spread that ultimately led to the declaration of an epidemic on May 15. Figures reported by the Congolese government this Thursday indicate a total of 238 “suspected deaths” linked to the epidemic as of Tuesday. The African government’s bulletin also notes a cumulative total of 1,077 such “suspected cases.”
“Surveillance, detection, and community awareness operations remain intensified, despite operational challenges reported on the ground,” the country’s Ministry of Communication emphasized. The spread of cases prompted Uganda to close its border with the DRC on Wednesday, after Congolese authorities assessed the risks posed by cross-border movements following the detection of a thousand cases and 200 suspected deaths.
Forty-eight national teams will participate in the World Cup, playing their respective matches across 16 cities in the three North American host countries. The DRC is one of the teams aiming to lift the trophy on July 19 in New York. For now, however, they must first advance through the group stage, where they will face Portugal, Uzbekistan, and Colombia.
Source: msn
