§ Tom BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what(a)personnel resources and (b)financial resources his Department intends to allocate to tackling the outbreak of the ebola virus in southern Sudan. [176370]
§ Hilary BennDFID understands that the World Health Organisation (WHO) plans to issue an appeal in the next few days to respond to the Ebola outbreak in Southern Sudan.
Although DFID have no plans to make additional personnel resources available to tackle the Ebola outbreak, we will consider making a contribution to the WHO appeal if needed.
§ Tom BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions his Department has had with(a)the Sudanese Government and (b)the World Health Organisation regarding attempts to contain the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus in southern Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [176371]
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§ Hilary BennDFID has not had any direct contact with the Sudanese Government about the outbreak of the Ebola virus in southern Sudan.
However, DFID has been in touch with the World Health Organisation (WHO) about the outbreak. WHO have confirmed the outbreak in Yambio County, Southern Sudan. To date there have been 20 reported cases of whom 10 have been confirmed, with five deaths. Five survivors are in an isolation ward, which has been set up in Yambio hospital by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) France and WHO. 120 contacts are being traced, of whom 7–10 per cent. are expected to be infected.
DFID will continue to closely monitor the situation.
§ Tom BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department intends to make an assessment of the potential impact of the Ebola virus outbreak in southern Sudan on neighbouring countries. [176380]
§ Hilary BennDFID does not propose to send our own assessment team. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO), who are the experts in this field. have sent a six man emergency response team, which includes two of their best Ebola/communicable disease specialists, to investigate and respond to the situation in southern Sudan. This team is producing regular situation reports on their activities, the current situation, and plans for bringing in further personnel.
WHO have indicated that if the outbreak is not contained the outbreak could spread to northern Uganda and the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. WHO is therefore on standby in both countries.