Ebola Cases Exceed 11,000 in Africa Amid Ongoing Crisis

Addis Ababa, November 13 (Daily Kiran) : The Ebola outbreak in Africa, which began six months ago, continues to pose a significant health threat. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reports that confirmed cases have now surpassed 11,000, with the death toll steadily rising.

In an online media briefing, the Africa CDC stated that this outbreak has tested the continent’s health security systems. They warned that various challenges and shortcomings are still hindering efforts to prevent and control the disease.

Wesam Mankoula, an official with the Africa CDC, noted, “While we have seen some progress in the six months since the outbreak began, these months have also highlighted numerous ongoing challenges, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the epicenter of the outbreak.”

According to the latest figures from Africa CDC, there have been 11,145 confirmed cases across several countries, resulting in 5,437 deaths—approximately 48.8% of total cases. Meanwhile, 3,058 patients have recovered and returned home.

Mankoula referenced the difficulties in relief and prevention efforts in Congo, where infection and death rates are rising at the community level. The situation is exacerbated by insecurity and the infection and deaths among healthcare workers.

He pointed out that only about 11% of new cases are linked to previously identified infected individuals, while the target is typically 95%. This indicates a significant shortfall in identifying and monitoring contacts of infected individuals, further complicated by security issues.

The Africa CDC warned that the Ebola outbreak is placing additional pressure on Congo’s already strained healthcare system, which is grappling with conflict, displacement, and other health emergencies.

Despite these challenges, Mankoula acknowledged some positive developments in the fight against Ebola. He praised efforts in Kenya and Nigeria to control the disease. Kenya recorded its first imported case on October 6, which has since led to a total of nine confirmed cases and two deaths. No new cases have been reported since October 19, and health officials recently announced the discharge of the last Ebola patient from the hospital.

In Nigeria, of the 62 contacts identified, 59 have completed their monitoring and have been released, while three remain under observation.

In addition to the four African countries directly affected by the outbreak, ten other nations are categorized as high-risk, including South Sudan, Rwanda, Zambia, the Central African Republic, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Angola, the Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Somalia.

On May 18, the Africa CDC declared the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of continental significance. This declaration followed a similar announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) the day before.

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