Rachel Rukwati suits up in PPE to enter a high-risk treatment zone, at the peak of the Ebola crisis, at a health centre in Beni, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, 04 May 2019 (reissued 12 May 2026). International Nurses Day (IND) is celebrated annually on 12 May to mark the birth of Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing. The day honours the vital contributions nurses make to global healthcare and societies. EPA/HUGH KINSELLA CUNNINGHAM As of Wednesday, there were 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths in Congo. Fifty-one cases have been confirmed by laboratory testing in Congo, and two cases have also been confirmed in neighbouring Uganda. The outbreak is expected to continue to grow, the World Health Organization has said.
- The funding will help the WHO, United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations step up surveillance, protect frontline health workers and improve infection prevention and control, the UK Foreign Office said.
- The UK Health Security Agency is assessing routes by which travellers enter the UK from affected countries and it has activated a program to protect and monitor the health of individuals travelling from the UK to affected areas for work.
(Reporting by Carlos Méndez in Mexico City; Editing by Chris Reese)