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 spreading across Central and East Africa.
The health body raised concerns over increased regional movement, porous borders and weak healthcare systems that could aid the spread of the deadly virus.
The countries listed as high-risk include Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia. Many of these countries share borders or major transport links with affected areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
Africa CDC Director-General, Jean Kaseya, said the outbreak remains a serious regional health concern, especially due to insecurity and population displacement in parts of Central Africa.
He explained that health authorities are intensifying surveillance and emergency preparedness measures to quickly detect and contain any suspected cases.
Health experts say efforts are underway to strengthen cross-border cooperation, improve laboratory testing and support contact tracing in vulnerable communities.
International health partners, including the World Health Organization, are also supporting response operations aimed at preventing the outbreak from escalating further.
Officials further disclosed that concerns remain over the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola linked to the outbreak because there is currently no fully approved vaccine for the variant.
Authorities are therefore urging African governments to remain vigilant, improve public awareness and invest more in emergency health response systems to reduce the risk of widespread infections.
