Key facts
- The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is still serious, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Data indicates gaps in infection prevention and control in the DRC.
- The Africa CDC's Emergency Consultative Group stated that transmission is not yet consistently controlled across all affected areas.
- Director-General Jean Kaseya noted a decrease in cases in some areas but emphasized the situation remains serious.
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains a serious concern, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The agency's Director-General, Jean Kaseya, stated on Thursday that data indicates gaps in infection prevention and control, and that the outbreak is not yet consistently controlled across all affected areas.
Kaseya's assessment contrasts with comments made by Congo's Health Minister, Samuel Roger Kamba, on Saturday. Kamba had indicated "encouraging signs" in the fight against Ebola, noting that transmission had been gradually slowing down since a peak in mid-August. While Kaseya acknowledged a slight decrease in cases in the two previous weeks and praised a drop in infections in the eastern Ituri province, he cautioned that these observations were based on incomplete data. He emphasized that a sustained decline in cases is necessary before declaring that the peak has passed.