France to seek more Ebola funding for Congo after 4,000 deaths

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot visited Bunia in Ituri province on October 3 and said France would propose additional Ebola funding in upcoming budget discussions. France allocated €13.4 million to the response from January through July. DRC health ministry figures show more than 4,000 deaths among over 8,300 cases since the May 15 outbreak declaration, with a 48.4 percent mortality rate and 2,162 recovered in one tally. Barrot told reporters that Ebola may seem far away to some people or political leaders, but it can return very quickly, and that the responsibility is to prevent those resurgences. He said there is no need to fear or worry and the epidemic must be fought where it emerges, after a French doctor tested positive following a June 23 return from DRC and later recovered. DRC health minister Roger Kamba said the epidemic is no longer beyond our control and that officials now are anticipating it. He said 19 of 63 affected zones have had no cases for at least three weeks. MSF coordinator Stephanie Hoffman in Butembo said it is like fighting a wildfire, with multiple outbreaks at varying intensity in different locations. A national humanitarian conference is set for Paris on October 6. CONTESTED: RFI cites Thursday figures of 4,042 deaths and 8,376 cases; vietnam.vn cites Oct. 2 figures of 4,018 deaths and 8,300 cases across seven provinces.