China is sending emergency medical teams to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a growing Ebola outbreak draws support from major global powers and health agencies racing to prevent a wider regional crisis.
The move comes as Congolese authorities report more than 1,000 suspected Ebola infections since the outbreak was declared on May 15, raising concerns that the virus could spread further across Central and East Africa despite ongoing containment efforts.
Beijing announced on Monday that it would dispatch medical specialists and humanitarian assistance to support Congo's response, adding to a widening international effort that already includes the United States, European Union, Canada, the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the Gates Foundation.
"The Chinese government has decided to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to the DRC and send medical expert teams for medical services and assistance," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said during a briefing in Beijing.
The outbreak is centred in eastern Congo's Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and has also spread into neighbouring Uganda.
