… cites insecurity and cross-border movement as concerns amid worsening outbreak in Central and East Africa
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that 10 African countries are at risk of being affected by the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central and East Africa.
The head of the agency, Jean Kaseya, disclosed this on Saturday while addressing concerns over the spread of the virus beyond the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
The countries identified as being at risk include Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia.
According to Kaseya, high population movement and insecurity in the affected region are contributing to the spread of the deadly virus.
The warning follows the declaration by the World Health Organization that the Ebola outbreak constitutes an international public health emergency.
The outbreak, which is centred in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, has reportedly recorded hundreds of suspected cases and more than 170 suspected deaths.
Earlier this month, Africa CDC also classified the outbreak as a “Public Health Emergency of Continental Security” due to fears of wider regional transmission linked to weak healthcare systems and cross-border movement.
Ebola is a highly infectious viral disease transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids and can lead to severe bleeding, organ failure and death.