Pope Leo calls for global action to confront Congo's Ebola outbreak

VATICAN CITY- Pope Leo called on Sunday for international action to help contain the impact of an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has so far claimed more than 2,500 lives.

The outbreak has spread rapidly across a vast area of the central African country and is causing a record number of infections and deaths, according to United Nations officials.

"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," the pontiff told pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's square for his weekly Sunday prayer.

"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.

It is Congo's 17th Ebola epidemic, and in late July it became the biggest in the country's history in terms of confirmed cases, surpassing the previous record outbreak from 2018 to 2020.

Reporting by Joshua McElwee and Giulio Piovaccari; Editing by Susan Fenton/Reuters