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.
