Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) said Friday that the Ebola outbreak has eased in several areas, with no new cases reported in multiple health zones for weeks, even as the total death toll has surpassed 4,000. Data released Friday showed that the outbreak has claimed 4,018 lives among 8,300 confirmed cases across seven provinces, with an overall case fatality rate of 48.4 percent. A total of 2,162 patients have recovered. The virus, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, spread quickly across remote areas that were already grappling with insecurity and poor health facilities, making it difficult for health authorities to contain the disease. While, after weeks of scaling up operations, officials say cases are now declining. "We are no longer talking about outbreaks at the provincial level, but outbreaks concentrated in individual health zones," Health Minister Roger Kamba told a press briefing in Kinshasa. Of the 63 health zones affected across seven provinces since the outbreak began, 12 have reported no new cases for 42 days, Kamba said. "With all the evidence we have presented, we can affirm that the peak of the epidemic is now behind us. The outbreak is no longer beyond our control. We are no longer chasing it. Before we were trailing it, but now we are staying ahead and anticipating its course," said Kamba. Despite signs of localized improvement in the DRC's Ebola outbreak situation, international medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres warned Thursday that the actual toll was likely higher than officially reported due to gaps in disease surveillance and case detection. The World Health Organization (WHO) also said that the DRC's Ebola outbreak is not yet under control despite a decline in cases in Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak. The Ebola outbreak declared in May has become the largest and deadliest ever recorded in the DRC and the second largest Ebola outbreak worldwide, after the 2014-2016 one in West Africa.
DRC health officials say Ebola outbreak past peak despite death toll surpassing 4,000
Cooperation and exchanges between China and Indonesia have yielded tangible results since the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative was proposed 13 years ago, benefiting sectors from infrastructure to cultural exchange.
One of the major achievements is the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, which links the Indonesian capital Jakarta with the city of Bandung in West Java Province. It has slashed the trip time from about four hours to just over 40 minutes.
As Indonesia's first high-speed rail line and the first in Southeast Asia, the railway has handled over 18 million passenger trips since it officially began commercial operations on Oct 17, 2023.
Along the railway, an industrial park is home to Wuling Motors Indonesia, a subsidiary of the major Chinese automobile manufacturer SAIC-GM-Wuling.
In the factory, more and more Indonesians are participating in different stages of vehicle production and assembly.
"When we first entered the Indonesian market, we mainly exported finished products. But now, what we export is technology, quality systems, and a full supply chain," said Yan Sui, head of the factory.
Young Indonesians working in various Chinese factories learn to operate advanced equipment, gain experience with new production methods and discover new career opportunities.
"At Wuling, I learned a great deal about automation, covering areas like conveyors, robotics, pneumatics and various mechanical and electrical systems. Technically speaking, I gained a lot of knowledge in Chinese factories," said Bintang, an Indonesian worker at the factory.
As bilateral cooperation among industries becomes more interconnected, so does the financial sector. Today, Indonesians traveling in China can use their own apps to make payments by simply scanning a QR code.
The two countries are also expanding cooperation in science and technology.
At Indonesia's Luban Workshop, a Chinese vocational training program, local youths acquire China's theoretical knowledge and experience, as well as practical skills they can apply in their jobs.
"Having able to have the device itself. PLC (programmable logic controller) and then able to learn how to design things in CAD (computer-aided design)," said Angga, an Indonesian university student.
The cooperation between the two countries also extends beyond the economy and technology sectors, into people-to-people cultural exchanges.
In August, the Chinese box-office hit "Dear You" was released nationwide in Indonesia, touching audiences with its historic diaspora experience and exploration of universal themes of displacement, nostalgia, and memories passed down through generations.
"This film is well worth watching for us, because it reflects the history of my parents' generation, a time from the past, and I feel very excited about it," said Chen Meizhuan, an Indonesian of Chinese descent.
China-Indonesia cooperation yields fruitful results across board
