By Mandere Onyinkwa
The East African Community (EAC) has urged member states to tighten surveillance and strengthen emergency preparedness following a fresh outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement issued Monday from the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, the regional bloc said the outbreak was confirmed on May 15 in Ituri Province in eastern DRC, near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan.
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According to preliminary reports, the outbreak is mainly affecting the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, while suspected cases have also been reported in Bunia, the provincial capital and a key transport hub.
As of May 15, authorities had recorded about 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths. Laboratory tests confirmed at least 13 Ebola-positive samples, including four deaths.
The EAC noted that two Ebola Bundibugyo Virus cases linked to travelers from the DRC had already been confirmed in Uganda, where one death was reported in Kampala.
EAC Deputy Secretary General for Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, said the outbreak highlights the continued danger posed by infectious diseases in the region.
“The EAC remains vigilant and fully committed to supporting Partner States in strengthening surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, particularly in border areas,” he said.
He added that increased movement of people and goods across East Africa makes regional cooperation critical in containing the disease.
“Coordinated preparedness and rapid information sharing are essential to preventing cross-border transmission and protecting the health and livelihoods of East Africans,” he said.
The EAC has now called on partner states to activate national and cross-border preparedness plans, intensify screening at points of entry, and ensure health workers and rapid response teams are adequately equipped and trained.
The regional body said it is collaborating with ministries of health, the Africa CDC, the World Health Organization and other development partners to strengthen pandemic preparedness and response measures.
This includes activating the EAC mobile laboratory network to support surveillance along the DRC border.
The EAC also appealed to the public to remain calm, rely on official information and observe public health guidelines, including regular hand hygiene and promptly reporting suspected symptoms to health authorities.
