Australia Pledges USD3.6M to Combat Deadly Ebola Outbreak in Africa

(MENAFN) The Australian government announced Thursday it would commit emergency funding to bolster the international response to an active Ebola outbreak sweeping Central Africa, as authorities race to contain the disease's spread.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Minister for International Development Anne Aly confirmed in a joint statement that Australia would contribute 5 million Australian dollars — approximately 3.6 million U.S. dollars — to the effort.

"Australia's funding, directed through the International Federation of the Red Cross and the World Health Organization (WHO), will provide vital medical care and supplies, water and sanitation services, support outbreak surveillance and preparedness, and strengthen local health systems," the statement read.

The scale of the crisis underscores the urgency of the pledge. According to the WHO, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded 344 confirmed cases and 60 fatalities, while neighboring Uganda has reported 15 cases and one death in the ongoing outbreak.

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