Ebola outbreak in Africa risks further spread, Africa CDC chief warns

The Ebola outbreak in Africa risks spreading further and causing more loss of life, the director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, or Africa CDC, has warned.

Speaking at a ministerial meeting on the outbreak on Wednesday, Jean Kaseya called for stronger coordination among African countries and international partners to contain the outbreak.

He highlighted persistent gaps in surveillance, insecurity, population movements and a worsening humanitarian situation as major obstacles to containing transmission, particularly in the outbreak's epicenter, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DRC.

According to figures presented by Kaseya, more than 80 percent of new cases were emerging outside known contact lists, while fewer than 15 percent were coming from known contacts, against a target of at least 95 percent.

Kaseya said DRC was recording an average of 400 to 550 confirmed cases per week, based on the dates when symptoms began, with no sustained decline in transmission over the preceding 11 weeks. As of Sunday, 50 of the country's 66 health zones had reported cases within the previous 21 days, while eight of the country's 26 provinces had been affected.

Deaths occurring outside treatment centers are another major concern. About 65 percent of confirmed deaths were occurring in communities, where patients might not receive timely medical care, making it harder to identify infections and prevent further transmission.

"When we say death at community level, it means someone is sick, is at home, is taking care by some people. Till when he will die? They will touch the body. They will even wash the body," Kaseya said.

Such circumstances can expose family members and caregivers to infection before health authorities become aware of a case, he said. They can also complicate contact tracing and safe burial procedures.

Kaseya said insecurity, population movements and limited access to essential services were complicating efforts to reach affected communities.

Residents also questioned the focus on Ebola when they were facing cholera, malaria and violence, he said, underscoring the need to address broader humanitarian and healthcare needs alongside outbreak control.

The outbreak's cross-border spread has further heightened concerns, reinforcing the need for countries to share information promptly and coordinate investigations and contact tracing.

The meeting also highlighted the need to strengthen diagnostic capacity, shorten delays in detecting infections, improve access to healthcare and ensure frontline teams receive the resources they need.

Kaseya underscored that containing the outbreak will require coordinated action across borders and closer engagement with affected communities to identify infections earlier and prevent further transmission.

sharon@chinadailyafrica.com