Africa CDC declares Ebola outbreak a continental emergency

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has declared the Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Continental Public Health Emergency, following a rapid escalation of cases and deaths across the region. The outbreak, caused by the less common Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, has left approximately 131 deaths in the DRC out of 513 suspected cases, with one additional death recorded in Uganda's capital, Kampala. The declaration empowers the Africa CDC, based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to mobilize additional resources, deploy emergency response teams, and coordinate surveillance operations across the continent. The agency expressed deep concern about the high risk of regional spread, citing intense cross-border population movements, mining-related mobility, insecurity in affected areas, weak infection prevention and control measures, and the proximity of affected zones to Rwanda and South Sudan. According to the Africa CDC, the outbreak is unfolding in one of the continent's most complex operational environments, characterized by fragile health systems and the limited availability of medical countermeasures specifically designed for the Bundibugyo strain. Unlike the Zaire strain of Ebola, for which vaccines and treatments exist, there are currently no approved vaccines or therapies for the Bundibugyo variant. The continental emergency declaration comes two days after the World Health Organization (WHO) designated the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Importance. Both agencies have mobilized significant resources, with the WHO delivering nearly seven tonnes of medical supplies and a 35-member expert team to Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, while UNICEF has deployed approximately 50 tonnes of infection prevention equipment and activated its highest emergency response scale. Africa CDC Director Dr. Jean Kaseya has called on all African Union member states to collaborate in responding to the crisis, stating that the security and health of the continent are indivisible and urging all parties to act promptly and based on scientific guidance.