Africa is racing to stop a deadly Ebola outbreak from turning into a full-blown continental crisis after health authorities warned that 10 countries are now at risk of infection from a fast-spreading virus already overwhelming parts of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and spilling into Uganda.
The outbreak, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola for which there are no approved vaccines or targeted treatments, is raising fears of another major cross-border health emergency with consequences for trade, travel, migration and regional stability.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia now face potential exposure alongside DR Congo and Uganda.
“We have 10 countries at risk,” Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya said, warning that insecurity and high population movement were accelerating the danger.
The warning comes as the World Health Organization upgraded the outbreak risk in DR Congo to “very high” and declared the epidemic an international public health emergency.
