Ebola outbreak escalates as Africa CDC reports over 1,100 suspected cases in DR Congo, Uganda

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has raised fresh concerns over the growing Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda, revealing that more than 1,100 suspected infections are currently under investigation across the two countries.

The disclosure was made by the Director-General of Africa CDC, Jean Kaseya, in a commentary published by the Financial Times on Sunday, where he warned that the epidemic poses a major challenge for Africa’s public health response systems.

According to Kaseya, health authorities had confirmed 263 Ebola cases in the affected countries as of Saturday, while the death toll from confirmed infections had reached 43.

Despite these figures, he noted that the full extent of the outbreak remains uncertain, with more than 1,100 suspected cases still undergoing investigation.

The Africa CDC had earlier reported on Thursday that 246 suspected deaths linked to the virus had been recorded.

Calling for a more urgent continental response, Kaseya stressed the need for faster intervention and criticised Africa’s continued reliance on foreign assistance during public health emergencies.

“We must move at the speed of the epidemic,” added Kaseya, criticising Africa’s dependence on outside financial support.

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In response to the crisis, health ministers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan recently agreed on a coordinated response strategy valued at $319 million.

Kaseya urged other African nations and institutions to build on that initiative to prevent further spread of the disease.

“That momentum must now expand across the continent,” Kaseya said, calling the latest Ebola outbreak a “serious test” for the Africa CDC and the African Union.

Warning that future outbreaks remain inevitable, he added, “This outbreak will not be the last.”

The current outbreak was officially declared on May 15 in Ituri Province, a northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country, home to more than 100 million people, continues to face significant healthcare and economic challenges.

Health authorities have since confirmed the spread of the virus to three provinces within DR Congo, while cases have also been detected in Uganda, raising fears of wider regional transmission.

The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment. As a result, health officials are relying heavily on surveillance, isolation measures, public awareness campaigns and other preventive strategies to contain the disease.

The World Health Organisation has already issued an international health alert over the outbreak, although experts caution that available data may not accurately reflect the true scale of infections.

International health agencies believe the current numbers could be significantly underestimated due to challenges in case detection and reporting.

Meanwhile, World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus continued his visit to Ituri Province on Sunday as part of efforts to support frontline health workers and affected communities.

Offering reassurance to residents battling the outbreak, Tedros said, “You are not alone in this. We are here, we are with you, and we will see this through together,” he said after arriving on Saturday.

Public health officials continue to monitor the situation closely amid concerns that further transmission could place additional pressure on already stretched healthcare systems in the region.

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