The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention 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, raised the concern on Saturday while speaking about the possible spread of the virus beyond the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
“We have 10 countries at risk,” Kaseya said, listing Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia.
According to him, “high mobility and insecurity” across the region are increasing the risk of cross-border transmission.
The warning follows the decision by the World Health Organization to declare the Ebola outbreak an international public health emergency.
The outbreak, which is centred in eastern DR Congo, has already recorded hundreds of suspected cases and more than 170 suspected deaths, according to health authorities.
On May 18, Africa CDC also classified the outbreak as a “Public Health Emergency of Continental Security”, citing concerns over weak healthcare systems, insecurity and frequent movement of people across borders.
Ebola is a severe viral disease transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids and can lead to severe bleeding, organ failure and death.