Africa CDC Chief Warns of Potential Record-Breaking Ebola Crisis

Health officials warned Tuesday that the Ebola outbreak in East Africa could escalate significantly, potentially persisting for up to a year and infecting thousands if transmission rates are not curtailed.

The current outbreak is already among the largest on record, with the Democratic Republic of Congo being the hardest hit. Efforts to contain the virus have been severely hampered by regional violence and a deep-seated distrust of authorities.

“If we don’t stop the outbreak very soon it will be worse than what we had in West Africa and eastern D.R.C.,” stated Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa CDC, during an emergency conference for African leaders.

According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been over 800 confirmed cases and nearly 200 deaths. For comparison, the World Health Organization notes that the deadliest Ebola outbreak occurred between 2014 and 2016 in West Africa, claiming more than 11,000 lives.

Other experts echoed Dr. Kaseya’s urgency, highlighting the steep obstacles facing medical teams. Bruno Michon, who manages the Ebola response in Congo for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), remarked that responders are essentially “running after the disease.”

In a phone interview Tuesday, Mr. Michon noted that containment could take months or even a year if infection rates continue to climb. The virus has already crossed the border from Congo into Uganda.

Officials expressed grave concern over the spread of the virus in areas where misinformation and social stigma discourage people from visiting treatment centers. Additionally, essential public health protocols have frequently clashed with traditional burial customs.

During Tuesday’s conference, African leaders called for sustained international support. President Cyril Ramaphosa urged his peers to act decisively, warning that “delayed action can transform a localized outbreak into a regional and a global crisis,” emphasizing the need to break the chain of transmission at the source.

Simultaneously, leaders of the world’s wealthiest nations at the G7 summit in France issued a joint statement calling for a coordinated response and the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance.

There are growing concerns that current case estimates may significantly underrepresent the actual toll. Experts pointed out that early surveillance and testing failed to identify the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, delaying the initial response. Furthermore, ongoing conflict between armed groups and military forces in eastern Congo has displaced millions, making contact tracing nearly impossible.

As defined by the WHO, Ebola causes internal bleeding and organ failure, spreading through contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected individuals.

“The situation is further complicated by rumors,” said Alex Lock, an IFRC communications coordinator based in Bunia. He explained that the organization has deployed hundreds of volunteers to conduct door-to-door outreach, encouraging residents to seek medical care upon the onset of symptoms.

Mr. Lock noted that many residents avoid hospitals due to unfounded beliefs that the disease is intentionally “injected” into patients within foreign-run treatment wards.

Traditional funeral practices have also become a source of tension. While residents traditionally touch the bodies of their loved ones, health officials warn that such contact is a primary transmission route. To bridge this gap, Mr. Michon stated that his organization has introduced body bags with transparent windows, allowing families to see the deceased’s face and grieve while maintaining safety.

While Mr. Michon acknowledged that affected communities are grappling with a “mix of fear and pain,” he noted a encouraging decrease in attacks against volunteers in recent weeks, expressing hope that increased awareness will continue to improve the situation.

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