Ebola outbreak raises international travel concerns as cases surpass 10,000
Africa CDC urges stronger cross-border surveillance and preparedness as the epidemic spreads beyond the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Africa’s leading public health agency has warned that the Ebola outbreak spreading across the continent could reach the UK and other countries unless governments strengthen surveillance and preparedness measures.
Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), warned in an interview with The Guardian that the outbreak could spread beyond Africa unless countries strengthened their preparedness.
The warning follows confirmation that Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have surpassed 10,000, with 4,887 deaths recorded, according to government figures released on 27 October.
The outbreak, first declared in May, has also resulted in confirmed cases in Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria. France has reported a case involving a doctor who returned from the DRC.
Kaseya urged governments to strengthen screening and testing at border crossings and other points of entry and exit, warning that countries outside Africa should not underestimate the potential for further spread.
The outbreak has already prompted additional travel-related precautions. Uganda has announced a 21-day quarantine requirement for returning citizens with recent travel history to the DRC, while other countries have introduced measures to identify potentially infected travellers.
The US CDC has also introduced a new requirement, effective 3 November, for passengers and crew on inbound international flights to declare that they have not been in the DRC during the preceding 21 days. ITIJ will report further details of the new measures later today.
The expanding geographical reach of the outbreak raises operational considerations around travel restrictions, medical evacuation arrangements, and access to specialist treatment facilities.
Kaseya also called for urgent international funding, warning that conflict, shortages of protective equipment, and strained healthcare resources were hampering containment efforts.
Siân Yates
Siân Yates is News Editor at Voyageur Group and Editor of International Hospitals & Healthcare (IH&H). She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism, and has written across healthcare, travel, food and beverage, science and technology, and environmental topics. Her passion lies in magazine creation and editorial management.