Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: The head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has issued a serious warning about the growing difficulties in controlling the ongoing Ebola outbreak in parts of Central and East Africa. The outbreak, involving the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, has already claimed dozens of lives and continues to spread despite ongoing efforts to contain it.
Professor Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, said international and regional health authorities are facing “significant operational obstacles” in stopping the transmission of the virus. These challenges include weak health systems in affected areas, insecure regions, limited access to remote communities, and a shortage of both medical supplies and trained personnel.
Continent Faces Difficult Outbreak Response
Africa CDC has declared the Ebola situation a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, a designation aimed at accelerating coordinated action and mobilising additional resources from member states and international partners. The emergency declaration underscores the severity of the situation and the potential risk of cross‑border spread into neighbouring countries.
The affected areas — notably in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighbouring Uganda — have reported hundreds of suspected cases and scores of deaths. Many cases are occurring in remote regions where surveillance and medical response teams struggle to operate due to logistical barriers and ongoing conflict in certain provinces.
Why Containment Is So Hard
Health officials say the Bundibugyo strain presents unique challenges. Unlike the more common Zaire strain, there is currently no approved vaccine or targeted treatment widely available for Bundibugyo Ebola. This means frontline responders must rely on supportive care and traditional virus containment strategies such as isolation, contact tracing, and infection prevention measures.
Professor Kaseya highlighted that extensive movement of people across borders — often through informal trade routes — increases the risk of spread. Combined with limited health infrastructure in rural areas, this has made containment extremely complex.
Africa CDC Leading Coordinated Efforts
To strengthen the response, Africa CDC has deployed teams to support surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, and risk communication in affected regions. The agency is also working with the World Health Organization (WHO), neighbouring countries and international partners to establish rapid response mechanisms and reinforce local health systems.
“Early detection and rapid action are essential to protect communities,” Professor Kaseya said, calling for African nations and global health partners to work together and share resources to prevent further spread.
Global Concern Grows
The outbreak has gained international attention, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare it a global health emergency. As of mid‑May 2026, confirmed and suspected Ebola cases have spread in eastern DRC’s Ituri province and into Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Several health workers in affected areas have also been infected, complicating response efforts where medical personnel are already scarce.
International agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are assisting with surveillance, contact tracing and traveller screening. The risk to countries outside of Africa remains low, but health officials say vigilant monitoring is vital to prevent any further escalation of the outbreak.
What’s Next?
The Africa CDC and its partners continue to monitor the outbreak closely as teams strive to strengthen containment measures. The agency has urged local governments to expand public health outreach, engage communities in prevention strategies and accelerate treatment support where needed. With the situation still evolving, health authorities say sustained, collaborative action will be essential to controlling the spread of Ebola in the region and beyond.
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May 19, 2026
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