By Iyemah David
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has declared the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), citing rising cases and the risk of regional spread.
The declaration, made on Tuesday following recommendations from its Emergency Consultative Group, empowers Africa CDC to coordinate a continent-wide response to contain the outbreak and prevent further transmission.
According to the agency, as of May 18, about 395 suspected cases and 106 deaths have been reported in affected areas of eastern DRC, while Uganda has recorded two cases and one death in its capital, Kampala.
Director-General of Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya, said the move was necessary to galvanise urgent action across the continent.
“Africa’s health security is indivisible. We must act early, act together, and act based on science,” he said.
Dr Kaseya noted that the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, is unfolding in a complex environment marked by insecurity, weak health systems, and high population mobility, particularly in mining regions.
He warned that cross-border movements and proximity to neighbouring countries such as Rwanda and South Sudan heighten the risk of wider regional transmission.
In response, Africa CDC is working closely with the World Health Organisation and other partners to activate an Incident Management Support Team (IMST), aimed at strengthening coordination under the “4 Ones” principle, one team, one plan, one budget, and one monitoring framework.
The agency has also deployed multidisciplinary experts across epidemiology, laboratory systems, infection prevention and control, and risk communication, while committing an initial 2 million dollars to support response efforts.
Chair of the Emergency Consultative Group, Prof. Salim Abdool Karim, said the decision followed a detailed assessment of epidemiological trends and regional risks.
“The interconnected transmission between DRC and Uganda requires urgent, coordinated continental action,” Karim said.
Health experts said the outbreak is particularly concerning due to the limited availability of approved vaccines and therapeutics for the Bundibugyo strain, prompting the Africa CDC to accelerate research and evaluation of medical countermeasures.
Ebola, a severe and often fatal disease, spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons, contaminated materials, or the bodies of deceased victims. Public health measures such as early detection, isolation, contact tracing, and safe burials remain critical to halting transmission.
The declaration comes amid growing calls for stronger investment in Africa’s health security systems, as authorities race to prevent a repeat of past large-scale Ebola epidemics.
The Africa CDC said it will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves.
