Ebola cases pass 10,000 as Africa CDC brings ministers together
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Seneweb
The Ebola outbreak has passed 10,000 confirmed cases, with patients recorded in DR Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria. The Africa CDC brought several African health ministers together virtually on 28 October to strengthen coordination and support for affected countries, according to the organisation.
The Africa CDC, the African Union’s public health agency, brought together several African health ministers virtually on Wednesday 28 October to assess the response to the Ebola outbreak, after the number of confirmed cases passed 10,000. Bundibugyo Ebola virus has been detected in DR Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria, reports Seneweb.
The organisation wants to strengthen cross-border coordination, speed up support for affected countries and improve continental preparedness. The meeting follows the detection of a case in Nigeria in the wife of a diplomat who had recently returned from Uganda, after that country announced the end of its outbreak at the end of August. The Africa CDC director said border controls were not sufficiently effective.
Nearly 5,000 deaths have been recorded since the outbreak began five months earlier, according to health authorities cited by Seneweb. Most cases are in DR Congo, where the fatality rate is close to 50%, while in Kenya, contacts remain under observation after nine infections and two deaths.
The ministerial meeting follows the spread of the outbreak in several African countries, announced on 23 October. The Africa CDC had already announced the meeting of African health ministers on 25 October.
