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UNITED NATIONS. — The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said Tuesday that it is taking measures to ensure “a smooth and safe start” to the new school year in Ebola-affected regions in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

UNICEF said there are some 250 schools in the Ebola-affected zones, with some 82,500 pupils. The measures to be taken included training of school principals and of more than 1,750 teachers about Ebola and about protective measures against the virus, setting up procedures for early detection, isolation and referral to health services of children with Ebola-like symptoms, distributing laser thermometers, installing hand washing units and distributing megaphones and providing prevention posters to every school.The World Health Organisation has reported that the next seven to 10 days are “critical” in controlling the spread of the Ebola virus in eastern DRC. Its latest update reported 111 cases of Ebola, with 83 confirmed and 28 probable, including 75 deaths. – Xinhua