Chinese team to support acute Ebola response

A Chinese medical team has arrived in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, on Tuesday for a three-month mission to support the Central African country's response to an acute Ebola outbreak.

The five-member team includes experts in epidemiology, clinical diagnosis and treatment, research, and traditional Chinese medicine, according to the National Health Commission, which organized the mission along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese embassy in Kinshasa and other government agencies.

Lu Ming, an official from the commission's department of international cooperation, who is leading the team, said that all members have extensive experience in their respective fields and have participated in previous global medical aid missions and Ebola responses.

"We plan to establish communication and cooperation mechanisms with local governments, healthcare institutions and international organizations under the guidance of the Chinese embassy," Lu said.

"We also aim to obtain the latest, accurate information on the outbreak to formulate a targeted and detailed response," he added.

Furthermore, the team of experts will provide training in disease prevention and treatment for local medical institutions, Chinese-funded enterprises and local Chinese communities.

On May 17, the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak in the DRC "a public health emergency of international concern". The cause of the outbreak is the Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccine and treatment. This strain of Ebola can kill up to 50 percent of those it infects.

The WHO said on Tuesday that there were 321 confirmed cases and 116 suspected ones in the DRC. The confirmed death toll is 48, while six people have recovered, it added.

Lu, the Chinese team leader, said that the outbreak poses a greater challenge due to limited access to the affected areas, risks of cross-border transmission and a lack of funding.

"Sending a high-level medical team demonstrates China's commitment to participating in international action against the epidemic and working hand in hand with other countries to fight the virus," he said.

Jiang Rongmeng, a team member and vice-president of Capital Medical University's Beijing Ditan Hospital, noted that China has accumulated decades of experience in tackling infectious diseases, particularly through low-cost, easily accessible methods.

He said that in the face of the Ebola outbreak, it is crucial to quickly identify suspected cases by screening for typical symptoms and to carry out epidemiological investigations into possible contacts with confirmed cases or deceased victims.

On Monday, the commission and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine released updated guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of Ebola. China has so far not reported any domestic or imported infections, it said.