In brief
Africa CDC hailed Kenya’s quick containment of an imported Ebola case as a continental model, while noting Kenya’s first case in October had expired without new infections since October 19. The agency urged African nations to strengthen surveillance, laboratory capacity and logistics, and warned that the Bundibugyo outbreak might spread into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Meanwhile, released data showed the multi‑country Ebola outbreak now has over 10,600 confirmed cases, more than 5,200 deaths and a 48.6 % fatality rate.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) praised Kenya’s rapid containment of an imported Ebola case as a continental model, even as the agency raised alarm that the ongoing Bundibugyo outbreak could spread further into the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to an online briefing held on November 6 at 22:02 UTC.
In a statement released by Xinhua, Africa CDC officials highlighted the 9 confirmed cases, 2 deaths and 9 positive samples out of 669 tested in Kenya, noting that no new cases had been reported since October 19 and the first five patients had already been discharged from treatment centers.
The agency also cited its latest data showing the multi‑country Ebola outbreak had reached 10,699 confirmed cases, 5,202 deaths and 2,900 recoveries, with a case‑fatality rate of 48.6 %. The outbreak is now the fastest‑growing and second‑largest on record, with twice as many cases and deaths as during the 2014‑2016 West African outbreak.
Concerned about the Bundibugyo situation, Wessam Mankoula, an official at Africa CDC, warned that the outbreak could extend into the DRC, a country still battling a significant number of cases, while calling for increased investment in preparedness pillars such as infection prevention, case management, logistics, laboratory capacity and dedicated treatment facilities.
A recent joint survey by Africa CDC and the World Health Organization assessed Ebola readiness across 31 African countries and found critical gaps in key response pillars—speaking to the necessity for countries to keep surveillance and screening systems robust at points of entry.
Wessam Mankoula stated:
"This is a time for all our member states to invest in preparedness and readiness. Having an imported case should not push us to panic as long as we have the minimum capacity at all critical preparedness pillars. Each country should have strong surveillance system, and screening at points of entry to detect cases quickly. We need to invest in laboratory capacities and in designated facilities to treat the first few cases."
Africa CDC also recognized Nigeria’s progress in outbreak containment and called for the accelerated disbursement of pledged funds to address the fast‑growing Ebola crisis, stressing that prompt financial support was crucial for effective response.
In a further statement, the agency urged African member states that the continued growth of the Ebola outbreak underscored the importance of sustained investment in surveillance, detection and case‑management capabilities.
