Ebola cases in DR Congo, Uganda surpass 600 amid operational constraints: Africa CDC

Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda have surpassed 600 as response efforts face operational constraints, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Tuesday.

In its latest outbreak update, the African Union's specialized continental public health agency said confirmed Ebola cases in the DRC and Uganda have reached 608, with the death toll climbing to 102 as of Monday.

Uganda has reported no new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. In the DRC, 45 new confirmed cases were reported during the past 24 hours, bringing the total there to 589, according to the Africa CDC.

The Africa CDC warned that ongoing response efforts are "facing significant operational constraints," noting that health facilities in several affected areas are in poor condition and often lack potable water, incinerators, personal protective equipment, and decontamination supplies.

Insecurity, a shortage of ambulances, growing staffing pressures with some health workers unpaid or without incentives, and poor roads are further slowing access and response operations, it said, while highlighting the existing lack of community trust as "a critical challenge" jeopardizing ongoing response efforts.

The agency also expressed concern over the negative impacts of travel restrictions imposed on affected and at-risk African countries despite guidance from the World Health Organization and the Africa CDC.

The Africa CDC outlined several "immediate priorities," including strengthening community engagement and risk communication, fast-tracking multidisciplinary rapid response teams to high-risk areas, addressing gaps in infection prevention and safe burial, as well as enhancing surveillance and contact follow-up.

Ebola cases in DR Congo, Uganda surpass 600 amid operational constraints: Africa CDC

Ebola cases in DR Congo, Uganda surpass 600 amid operational constraints: Africa CDC

Long-term institutional funds' holdings of China A-share market value have risen 12.5 percent since the end of last year, signaling growing investor confidence in the country's capital market, said an official at a press conference in Beijing on Thursday.

Li Chao, vice chairman of China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), revealed that since the start of this year, social security funds, pensions, insurance, and other long-term sources have made net purchases of A-shares exceeding 600 billion yuan (about 88.5 billion U.S. dollars).

Li said that investment and financing are the two fundamental functions of the capital market, while the market's role is not limited to these, they are certainly among its most important features. The two functions are complementary and mutually reinforcing, he said.

Li emphasized that in recent years, the CSRC has continuously improved the inclusiveness and adaptability of regulations, vigorously promoting the entry of long-term capital and steadily deepening comprehensive capital market reform.

He noted that the capital market is undergoing increasingly profound structural changes, the momentum of coordinated development in investment and financing is forming more rapidly, and the quality and effectiveness of service to the real economy are constantly improving.

A-share long-term funds up 12.5 pct: official