Ten (10) African countries are at risk of being affected by the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central and East Africa, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned.
Africa CDC Director General Dr Jean Kaseya said on Saturday that Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia were all at risk.
Kaseya was speaking about concerns over the virus spreading beyond the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
"We have 10 countries at risk," he said, adding that "high mobility and insecurity" in the region were contributing to the spread.
Recall that the warning follows the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s declaration of the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern.
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The haemorrhagic fever outbreak, centred in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, has recorded hundreds of suspected cases and more than 170 suspected deaths, according to WHO.
Africa CDC had earlier declared the outbreak a "Public Health Emergency of Continental Security" on 18 May.
The agency cited fears of wider regional transmission due to insecurity, weak health systems and population movement across borders.
Ebola is a severe viral disease spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, and it can cause severe bleeding, organ failure and death.
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