Africa CDC Warns 10,000-Case Congo Ebola Outbreak Could Reach UK
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Oct 28
Africa CDC Warns 10,000-Case Congo Ebola Outbreak Could Reach UK
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Oct 28
Summary
10,091 Ebola cases and 4,887 deaths have now been recorded, prompting Africa CDC chief Jean Kaseya to warn that no country is safe and the outbreak could spread beyond Africa, including to the UK.
The warning reflects what Kaseya called an unprecedented geographic expansion: DR Congo’s Bundibugyo-virus outbreak has spread across three African regions, with cases in Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria, and one confirmed case in France.
10,060 of the cases are in DR Congo, where the response has been weakened by unpaid health workers, equipment shortages, conflict, mistrust, misinformation and global aid cuts.
No approved treatment exists for the Bundibugyo strain, though vaccine trial results are expected within three to six months as Kaseya pushes ministers for border screening, testing and greater cross-border coordination.
$3 billion has been pledged for the response, but more than $2 billion remains unpaid; Kaseya said delayed funding now could let the outbreak spread further and raise eventual costs into the trillions.