Ebola infections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) have rebounded after a brief decline, while the virus's spread to other African countries is complicating efforts to contain the outbreak that has already claimed more than 4,600 lives, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned in its latest situation report Wednesday.
"The most recent seven-day moving average indicates a modest upward trend, suggesting renewed intensification of transmission," the WHO Regional Office for Africa said in the report, highlighting the outbreak's "widening international dimension and the growing complexity."
The DR Congo recorded 1,466 confirmed cases between Sept 29 and Oct 19, up 10.4 percent from the preceding 21-day period, while confirmed deaths rose 7.5 percent to 692, according to the report.
As of Oct 19, the DR Congo had recorded 9,637 confirmed cases and 4,646 deaths across eight of its 26 provinces.
Meanwhile, the outbreak's international spread has added a new layer of complexity to containment efforts.
Kenya has reported nine confirmed cases, including one death, with all eight secondary infections linked to an imported case and detected among people already under quarantine, according to the WHO report.
Nigeria confirmed its first case on Tuesday, involving a woman who had traveled from Uganda earlier this month. The WHO warned that the prolonged interval between symptom onset and laboratory confirmation raised concerns about "potentially undetected exposures and secondary transmission."
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned Tuesday that the outbreak had become the most geographically widespread Ebola epidemic on record, with infections reported across Central, Eastern and Western Africa.
In its latest assessment, the WHO said the outbreak remained "at a critical juncture," warning that escalating insecurity, population displacement and restricted humanitarian access in the DR Congo were "further challenging response operations and increasing the risk of undetected transmission."
Ebola outbreak rebounds in DR Congo as cross-border spread heightens concerns: WHO
Ebola outbreak rebounds in DR Congo as cross-border spread heightens concerns: WHO
An evocative situational song and dance performance has vividly connected the Red Army's perilous crossing of a snow-capped mountain with a modern tunnel engineering marvel during a televised gala commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March on Thursday.
The Long March (1934-1936) was a defining military maneuver undertaken by the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, symbolizing endurance and perseverance which ultimately paved the way for the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
Titled "Ode to the Long March," the five-part gala broadcast by the China Media Group (CMG) centers on key historical junctures of the arduous 12,500-kilometer journey.
One of these performance segments sought to bring to life the Red Army's strenuous crossing of a snow-topped peak during the epic military trek. It weaves together two eras -- the soldiers' desperate climb through the blizzards and the modern-day construction of a tunnel through the same mountain -- to show how the spirit of perseverance endures across generations.
Through poignant dialogue and an enchanting song, the piece shows soldiers supporting one another through a fierce snowstorm, culminating in a young soldier's dream of drilling a hole through the mountain once the revolution is won. This vision comes to life as the stage setting shifts to the present day, featuring a powerful exchange between a Red Army commander and a modern engineer, symbolizing their shared determination to conquer nature's barriers.
The segment depicts the Central Red Army's June 1935 crossing of the Jiajin Mountain in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the first major snow mountain they encountered on the Long March.
Decades later, over 600 workers labored for 45 months to build the Jiajin Mountain Tunnel of the G351 highway, an engineering marvel that has permanently ended the winter isolation of over 110,000 local residents.
Integrating music, dance, drama, and folk art, the performances at the Gala vividly recall the immense hardships the Red Army endured and showcase the firm beliefs held by the Communist Party of China (CPC), even in the face of sacrifice and suffering.
The broadcast followed a commemorative meeting held earlier on Thursday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech.
The Long March began in October 1934, when 86,000 poorly armed soldiers began a grueling 12,500-kilometer journey across some of the country's harshest terrain to establish a new revolutionary base. The march concluded in October 1936 when three main Red Army forces converged in northwestern China.
Gala performance bridges past, present with nod to Long March history, modern engineering
Gala performance bridges past, present with nod to Long March history, modern engineering
