Africa CDC declares continental emergency over Ebola outbreak
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The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Continental Public Health Emergency.
In a statement issued late Monday, the Africa CDC said the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded 131 deaths from 513 suspected Ebola cases, while neighbouring Uganda has reported one death.
The declaration allows the Ethiopia-based agency to mobilise additional resources, including emergency response teams and surveillance operations.
The Africa CDC said it was deeply concerned about the risk of regional spread due to intense cross-border movement, mining-related mobility, insecurity in affected areas, and weak infection prevention and control measures. The agency also warned about the proximity of affected regions to Rwanda and South Sudan.
The organisation said it is working closely with the World Health Organization to strengthen coordination efforts, building on systems developed during recent mpox and cholera outbreaks.
Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya said the outbreak is unfolding in a highly complex environment marked by insecurity, population movement, fragile healthcare systems, and limited availability of medical countermeasures for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.