Ebola outbreak in Africa ranked fourth largest, health agency says

The World Health Organisation has launched a $518 million six-month joint response plan aimed at containing Ebola outbreaks in Africa, warning that urgent funding and political commitment are needed to stop the spread of the disease, which is now the fourth-largest outbreak on record.

The strategy focuses on supporting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring Uganda in controlling ongoing outbreaks, while also helping other countries strengthen preparedness measures, including enhanced border screening, Caliber.Az reports, citing Reuters.

The initiative is being coordinated with the WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak is spreading rapidly.

“The outbreak is moving fast and we are still playing catch-up,” he said, adding that effective containment requires political commitment, sustained financing, and community trust.

The Africa CDC said the outbreak went undetected for weeks, leaving health authorities behind the curve and making containment more difficult.

So far, there have been 381 confirmed cases and 62 deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while Uganda has reported 19 cases and two fatalities.

The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.

Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya described it as the most severe Bundibugyo outbreak recorded to date.

He also noted that donors have pledged about $315.8 million so far for the response, down from earlier estimates following revisions, though details were not provided.

The Africa CDC declared Congo’s 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15, and the WHO subsequently classified it as a public health emergency of international concern.

Officials also highlighted challenges in testing, noting that standard Ebola tests initially failed to detect the Bundibugyo strain, while delays in laboratory results continue.

“It's taking several days to a week or more. And that's frustrating,” said Franklin Graham, president of the aid organisation Samaritan’s Purse, which is operating in eastern Congo.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov