An Ebola outbreak that has killed more than 2,500 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo has prompted Pope Leo to appeal for urgent international intervention, as the epidemic continues to spread across the central African nation.
Speaking to pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter’s Square for his weekly Sunday prayer, the pontiff said he keeps the country in his thoughts. “In my prayers, I often remember the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in light of the spread of the Ebola epidemic, which is sadly claiming many lives,” he said.
He called on the global community to step in, stressing that local communities must be part of any response. “I urge the international community to respond in a way that also involves local communities in prevention efforts to save as many lives as possible,” he said.
According to United Nations officials, the outbreak has spread rapidly across a wide area of the country, driving a record number of infections and deaths.
The current crisis marks Congo’s 17th Ebola epidemic. In late July, it became the largest in the country’s history by confirmed case count, surpassing the previous record outbreak that ran from 2018 to 2020.
