The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has urged African countries to strengthen their preparedness for Ebola, warning that geographical distance does not guarantee protection following reports of a case in Nigeria.
Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya has called for greater cooperation among countries to improve preparedness plans and contain the outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola.
According to figures cited in the report, the outbreak has claimed more than 4,600 lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Kaseya warned that allowing the outbreak to continue for another year could result in devastating consequences, given the high mortality rate associated with the disease.
“We need to stop this outbreak because if this outbreak can last one year again, it will be the worst that the world will experience. And this is not what we want to have today, knowing that the mortality is around 48, 49 per cent. It means almost one person out of two is passing on,” Kaseya said.
He stressed the importance of a coordinated continental response to prevent further spread and strengthen countries’ ability to respond to potential cases.