FULL LIST: Kenya, Angola, 8 Other African Countries at Risk as Ebola Outbreak Spreads — Africa CDC
Ebola Threatens Ten African Countries, Africa CDC Warns
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has issued a warning that ten African countries are at heightened risk for Ebola as the outbreak spreads across Central and East Africa. Director-General Jean Kaseya raised concerns on Saturday, attributing the rising threat to increased cross-border movement and regional insecurity.
Kaseya informed journalists, “We have 10 countries at risk,” emphasizing the urgency of the situation. He noted that “high mobility and insecurity” in affected areas are intensifying the likelihood of transmission beyond existing hotspots.
The ten countries identified by Africa CDC as being at risk are:
- Angola
- Burundi
- Central African Republic
- Republic of the Congo
- Ethiopia
- Kenya
- Rwanda
- South Sudan
- Tanzania
- Zambia
The outbreak originated in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and has raised international alarm. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently characterized it as an international public health emergency due to concerns about its rapid spread and the fragile healthcare conditions in impacted communities.
WHO reports indicate that the outbreak has resulted in hundreds of suspected infections and more than 170 suspected deaths, particularly in eastern DR Congo. Earlier this year, on May 18, the Africa CDC classified the outbreak as a “Public Health Emergency of Continental Security,” warning that weak healthcare systems, ongoing armed conflict, and the movement of people could facilitate the virus’s spread across the continent.
Ebola is known to be a highly infectious disease transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected individuals. If not managed promptly, it can lead to severe bleeding, organ failure, and death.
