India postpones Africa summit after Ebola outbreak

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India and the African Union have postponed a summit meeting due to take place next week in New Delhi after a deadly Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo.

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“Mindful of the emerging public health situation on the continent… the two sides agreed that it would be advisable to convene the Fourth India–Africa Forum Summit at a later date,” India’s foreign ministry said.

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The India–Africa Forum Summit had been scheduled to take place in New Delhi from May 28–31.

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India said it was ready “to contribute to Africa CDC-led (Centres for Disease Control) efforts aimed at addressing the evolving health situation”.

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The World Health Organization said Wednesday that risk from a deadly Ebola outbreak is high in central Africa but remains low globally, adding that the virus had likely been spreading for months.

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The outbreak of the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever was declared in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo Friday.

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Ebola has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa in the past half-century.

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The 17th Ebola outbreak to hit the DRC is already suspected of having caused 139 deaths from around 600 probable cases.

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Delhi’s international airport on Thursday issued a health advisory for passengers arriving in India from DR Congo as well as neighbouring Uganda and South Sudan.

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New Delhi, which stressed the importance of “continued cooperation in strengthening public health preparedness and response capacities across the continent”, said new dates for a summit would be set later.

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