Africa CDC urges action amid rapid Ebola spread

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention warned on Tuesday that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo could become one of the worst epidemics in history if urgent measures are not taken to contain its spread.

Speaking during an African Union extraordinary session of the assembly in Accra, Ghana, Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya said the outbreak is spreading at an unprecedented pace amid insecurity, mass displacement and continued community transmission.

More than 1,000 people have died from the Ebola outbreak since May, Kaseya said, warning that the current epidemic is spreading at a much faster pace than previous outbreaks.

"If we don't stop this outbreak today, it will be the worst one that the world will meet," he said.

The warning comes as the DR Congo's Health Ministry reported on Wednesday that the outbreak has so far infected 2,473 people and claimed 999 lives across five provinces, bringing the case fatality rate to 40 percent.

The ministry said 737 patients are in isolation or hospitalization, while 482 people have recovered.

Health authorities said surveillance and response activities have intensified, with over 80 percent of epidemiological alerts now being investigated within 24 hours and contact tracing reaching 81 percent.

Treatment facilities remain operational, with more than 700 patients under follow-up, while multisectoral teams continue to strengthen laboratory services, logistics, infection prevention and control measures, and risk communication activities.

Despite the progress, the Africa CDC warned that major challenges remain. Kaseya said insecurity in eastern DR Congo and the humanitarian situation are significantly hampering efforts to fully contain the outbreak.

"We cannot continue to respond to an outbreak when we are facing insecurity at that level," he said, revealing that one Africa CDC staff member had recently been injured during an attack by armed groups.

Currently, more than 1.15 million people are living in internally displaced persons camps in affected areas, further complicating surveillance and disease control efforts.

Kaseya said the outbreak has spread much faster than previous Ebola epidemics, warning that persistent community transmission remains a major concern. "This outbreak is very serious," he said.

The Africa CDC and the World Health Organization have jointly launched a continental response plan aimed at bringing the epidemic under control.

Kaseya said the response requires about $1.4 billion, including humanitarian and health interventions, though African countries have so far pledged more than $110 million toward the response.

"We need more," he said, calling on additional African governments to contribute resources.

The agency is also advancing clinical trials for Ebola therapeutics and preventive interventions, but still faces a funding gap of about $12 million. "We are working hard because we don't have confirmed medicines and vaccines," Kaseya added.

Greater self-reliance

The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, has renewed calls for stronger health security systems and greater continental self-reliance in responding to public health emergencies.

African health leaders warned that failure to contain the outbreak could undermine broader efforts to strengthen the continent's health systems and achieve universal health coverage.

"If we don't control this outbreak, everything we are doing today will not make sense," Kaseya said.

The outbreak dominated discussions at the African Union health meeting, with ministers warning that it reinforces the need for greater health sovereignty, domestic financing and local manufacturing of medicines and vaccines.

Ghana's Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the recent health emergencies had shown that "the next emergency must never again find Africa waiting at the back of the queue".

He called for stronger regional cooperation and increased investment in African health systems.

African leaders said the current Ebola outbreak should serve as a wake-up call for the continent to accelerate efforts to build resilient health systems capable of responding to future epidemics without excessive dependence on external support.

sharon@chinadailyafrica.com