Second case of Ebola in DRC & other topics - Daily Briefing (31 July 2019)

Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
- Afghanistan
- Somalia
- Ebola
- Yemen
- UNAIDS
- Press briefing
Afghanistan
The Secretary-General strongly condemns the attack this morning on a bus traveling along the Kandahar-Herat Highway in Afghanistan. The Secretary-General reiterates that international humanitarian law explicitly prohibits indiscriminate attacks and directed against civilians and appeals to all parties to the conflict in Afghanistan to uphold their obligations to protect civilians.
The Secretary-General expresses his deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Afghanistan. He wishes a speedy recovery to those injured.

Somalia
About the attack against the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) earlier this week, the Secretary-General condemns the deadly attack and expresses his deep condolences to the bereaved families and the Government of Burundi. He wishes a swift recovery to the injured. The Secretary-General pays homage to the AMISOM troops and their sacrifices in pursuit of peace in Somalia. He reiterates the resolve of the United Nations to work with the African Union and AMISOM to support the people and Government of Somalia.

Ebola
Tomorrow will mark one year since the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared an outbreak of Ebola in North Kivu Province. And yesterday, in Goma, a miner working in the province of Ituri became the city’s second case of Ebola. He reportedly died this morning.
In reaction to this new case, the Ebola Emergency Response Coordinator, David Gressly, and the World Health Organization Assistant Director-General for Emergency Response, Dr. Ibrahima Socé Fall, said they are mobilizing all aspects of the response to stop the spread of Ebola in Goma.
Surveillance at all points of entry, and points of control in the area are being stepped up. They are also increasing community engagement, risk communications and active case finding.
In a joint statement to mark the one-year milestone, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, and the UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, as well as the World Food Programme Executive Director added that “this latest case in such a dense population center underscores the very real risk of a spike in disease transmission, perhaps beyond the country’s borders, and the very urgent need for a strengthened and global response and increased donor investment.”
Both statements are now online.
Tomorrow, at 11 am, David Gresslyand and Dr. Fall will join us by VTC, to provide an update on the outbreak and to answer your questions.
Full Highlights: