The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned that at least 10 African countries are at risk of being affected by the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central and East Africa.
Director-General of the agency, Dr Jean Kaseya, issued the warning on Saturday while addressing growing concerns over the possible spread of the virus beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
“We have 10 countries at risk,” Kaseya said, listing Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia.
According to him, “high mobility and insecurity” in the region are contributing to the spread of the virus.
The alert follows the declaration by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the Ebola outbreak constitutes an international public health emergency due to the increasing threat of cross-border transmission.
According to the WHO, the outbreak, which is largely concentrated in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has resulted in hundreds of suspected infections and more than 170 suspected deaths.
Africa CDC had earlier, on May 18, declared the outbreak a “Public Health Emergency of Continental Security,” citing concerns over regional transmission fuelled by insecurity, fragile healthcare systems and the movement of people across borders.
Dr Kaseya stressed the need for African countries to strengthen surveillance, improve emergency preparedness and intensify cross-border collaboration to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
Ebola is a highly infectious viral disease transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons. The disease can lead to severe bleeding, multiple organ failure and death if not detected and managed promptly.
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