African health ministers will meet virtually on Oct. 28 as an Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus continues to spread, with cases reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya and Nigeria.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced the meeting Wednesday, calling for stronger cross-border cooperation, increased support for affected countries and renewed political commitment to contain the outbreak.
The meeting comes as the outbreak, declared in Congo in May, has expanded beyond Central Africa. Kenya had reported nine cases by Oct. 20, while Nigeria confirmed its first case of the current outbreak on Oct. 20, according to health authorities and the World Health Organization.
Congo remains the epicenter. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 9,552 confirmed cases and 4,602 confirmed deaths in the country as of Oct. 20. The figures underscore the scale of the emergency, although case counts remain subject to revision as investigations continue.
“Ebola is crossing borders. Our response must move faster, with stronger coordination, greater solidarity and decisive political leadership,” Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya said in a statement announcing the meeting.
“We have the expertise and the capacity on this continent. We must mobilise them together to stop this outbreak and save lives,” he said.
Kenya’s cases have been linked to a man who traveled from Congo through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi on Oct. 3. He died two days later. Subsequent infections included relatives and health workers who had contact with him.
All nine cases reported in Kenya by Oct. 20 were linked to the initial patient, and the country’s health authorities had reported no wider community transmission, according to the U.S. CDC.
Nigeria’s first confirmed case involved a woman who had recently traveled from Uganda. Her infection was confirmed on Oct. 20, and she was receiving medical care in isolation. Health authorities had identified 44 contacts for monitoring, the WHO said.
The developments have increased the importance of cross-border surveillance, contact tracing and coordination between national health authorities. The ministerial meeting is expected to assess the outbreak, accelerate assistance to affected countries and strengthen preparedness elsewhere on the continent.
Africa CDC declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security on May 18. The agency has called on member states to strengthen disease surveillance, community engagement and measures to protect frontline health workers.
The Bundibugyo virus is a distinct species of Ebola virus. Medical countermeasures developed for other Ebola species cannot automatically be assumed to work against it, making species-specific guidance and research important to the response.
The ministerial meeting is also expected to inform preparations for a summit of African heads of state and government under the leadership of Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye, who chairs the African Union. Africa CDC’s announcement did not specify a date for the proposed summit.
The Oct. 28 talks will provide an opportunity for governments to agree on further action. Whether they lead to additional funding, personnel or other operational support will be an important measure of the continent’s response to the outbreak.
