Democratic Republic of the Congo
As the deadly Ebola disease outbreak reached an eighth province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), investigators pursued all leads on Thursday to assess the risk of the disease spreading in Nigeria. Authorities in Abuja confirmed their first case of infection in an individual arriving from Uganda, which borders the worst-hit provinces in DRC. “The source of exposure is still not known and the travel history of the patient is being pieced together now in terms of her movement from Uganda up to Nigeria,” said Dr Patrick Otim, from the UN World Health Organization (WHO)’s Emergency Response programme, in an online update. “This is rapidly evolving. As we get more information, we’ll try to determine where she was exposed. And then it’s at that point where we can say whether there is any transmission happening”. Nigeria is the fifth country this year after DRC, France, Uganda and Kenya to confirm the presence of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus. The original DRC outbreak was declared in mid-May where it has led to more than 4,600 deaths and a total of 9,552 confirmed infections. Around six in 10 of these deaths have occurred outside health centres, indicating the continuing difficulty of halting community transmission. The latest DRC province to confirm infections is Nord Ubangi, which borders Central African Republic, where ongoing armed violence continues to uproot thousands of people, increasing the difficulty of halting transmission. – UN News DR Congo: Ebola responders under pressure as outbreak expands
France
A patient in France has died after being infected with Shamonda virus, the first recorded human case of the disease. The virus is mainly found in livestock, especially cattle, sheep, goats, horses and alpacas. It is thought to be spread by the bites of midges – tiny biting flies – though the World Health Organization (WHO) has said further studies are needed to understand how it is transmitted. There are currently no commercially available vaccines against Shamonda virus, according to the internationally recognised World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). – UN News First human case of Shamonda virus reported in France as patient dies
Nepal
The deadly flash flood that tore through Nepal in August is a “defining moment” for both the country and the international community, according to the head of the UN field agency which builds roads, schools and clinics in crisis zones. UN Project Services chief, Jorge Moreira da Silva, briefed journalists in New York by videolink after joining teams from UNOPS in Nepal, describing the glacier collapse on 26 August as one of the most destructive and deadliest climate disasters ever. Survivors told him of a wall of water more than 100 metres high, travelling at 180 kilometres per hour, which devastated 60 kilometres of valley in a matter of seconds. “We are not dealing with a normal flood,” he said. – UN News Nepal’s deadly glacier flood a ‘defining moment’ for the international community
Tech World
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has published a new action plan to strengthen carbon emissions management across the industrial and information technology sectors between 2026 and 2030. The plan includes the development of zero-carbon computing facilities alongside factories and industrial parks, bringing digital infrastructure into the country’s broader decarbonisation framework. – Digital Watch Observatory China targets zero-carbon computing facilities
The World Bank Group has launched its first digital strategy, bringing together its public- and private-sector financing, investment and policy advice to help developing countries expand digital access, strengthen skills and create employment opportunities. The strategy identifies four priorities: improving connectivity, making devices and data more affordable, expanding digital services and skills, and building countries’ readiness to adopt AI. – Digital Watch Observatory – World Bank unveils digital strategy for jobs and AI
The UK’s Environment Agency has called for greater transparency and stronger consideration of water efficiency in datacentre development, warning that existing monitoring arrangements provide an incomplete picture of the sector’s water consumption. In written evidence submitted to Parliament, the agency said data centres are not required to report site-level water use to the regulator and suggested that major non-household water consumers should publish their consumption and efficiency measures. – Digital Watch Observatory UK agency calls for data-centre water reporting
