Africa CDC chief warns of difficult operating environment as Ebola outbreak expands

ADDIS ABABA, June 16– Director General of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Jean Kaseya has warned that the response to the fast-expanding Ebola outbreak is advancing “in a difficult operating environment,” as the death toll in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda approaches 200.

“With no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain, classic public health measures are decisive — early detection, rapid isolation, contact tracing, safe care, infection prevention and control, community trust, and strong coordination,” Kaseya told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The two affected countries have recorded a cumulative 827 confirmed cases and 194 deaths, including 19 cases and two deaths in Uganda, according to the latest Africa CDC data. A total of 53 patients have also recovered from the virus.