WORLD · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
Africa CDC ECG Calls for Continued Ebola Response in DRC After Four Months
WHY IT MATTERS
Maintaining the emergency status ensures continued continental coordination and resource allocation, while intensified action in high‑risk zones will directly reduce deaths and prevent further spread of Ebola in the DRC.
What happened
Four months after the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was declared a continental public‑health emergency, Africa CDC’s Emergency Consultative Group completed an independent scientific assessment. The review found that case numbers and deaths have fallen in some health zones, notably Ituri, but active transmission remains in others, especially North‑Kivu. The peak of the epidemic has not yet been confirmed, and community deaths still account for about 60 % of reported fatalities. The ECG therefore recommends keeping the outbreak under the USP‑SC/PHECS designation, intensifying the response—particularly in North‑Kivu—strengthening contact tracing, improving data quality, and restoring essential health services. It also urges continued vaccine studies and clear informed consent regarding vaccine efficacy against Bundibugyo.
The report stresses that any premature easing of measures could reverse gains, while sustained, coordinated action is essential to curb transmission and protect health infrastructure.
PRIMARY SOURCES
DR Congo: La riposte à Ebola progresse, mais l’épidémie reste une urgence continentale, selon des scientifiques africains – Africa CDC
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