Africa CDC declares Ebola outbreak 'continental health emergency'
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Monday declared the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a public health emergency of continental security, News.Az reports, citing Xinhua.
The official declaration follows reports of approximately 395 suspected cases and 106 associated deaths in the DRC, primarily in the Mongwalu, Rwampara, and Bunia health zones.
In Uganda, two cases and one death have been recorded in Kampala, according to the latest data from the Africa CDC.
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The agency also warned that the outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which no strain-specific vaccine is currently available, and which carries a high risk of regional transmission.
Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya said the declaration is intended to strengthen regional coordination, mobilize emergency resources, and accelerate preparedness measures in neighboring countries at risk of infection.
The agency further cautioned that intense cross-border movement, insecurity in affected regions, and weak infection control measures could increase the likelihood of wider spread.
“The confirmation of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus in interconnected countries reminds us once again that Africa’s health security is indivisible,” Kaseya said, adding that emergency response teams have already been deployed to support containment efforts.
By Nijat Babayev
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