Head of Africa CDC Kaseya warns of global spread of Ebola — Interia

Amid an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, warned of the risk of Ebola spreading beyond Africa. According to Interia, he called on countries to strengthen preparedness and treatment capacity, stressing that no country would be safe without appropriate measures.

Cases in four countries

The outlet reports that Ebola cases have been recorded in four African countries. According to the cited data, the most difficult situation is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where more than 10,000 infections have been confirmed. Uganda reported 20 patients, while Kenya reported eight. A case was also detected in Nigeria: according to Interia, the infected woman arrived in the country's capital, Abuja, from Uganda.

Overall, according to the outlet, the virus has caused the deaths of nearly 5,000 people. The World Health Organization described the situation in Africa as a difficult epidemic. The outbreak began in May in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; the threat is linked to the Bundibugyo strain, for which, as stated, there is no vaccine or specialized treatment.

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The patient was transported to Switzerland

The infected wife of a Swiss diplomat, who is from Uganda, was transported with her husband to a hospital in Switzerland on Monday. Nigeria's Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate said that the patient's clinical condition had improved significantly, but she could still be a source of infection, so strict safety measures remained in place for her.

Kaseya convened a meeting of health ministers from African countries for Wednesday to discuss cross-border cooperation. The proposed steps include screening and specialized tests at entry and exit points in regions where the virus has been detected. He also called for the creation of so-called peace corridors so that medical workers could reach areas where fighting between rebels and government forces is ongoing.

According to Kaseya's estimate, fighting Ebola in Africa requires about $3 billion. African states pledged to provide $120 million, while the remaining funding is expected to come from donors in the United States, the EU and the United Kingdom, but, he said, the funds have not yet arrived.