Addis ababa: The diagnosis of an imported Bundibugyo Ebola virus case in France has prompted the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to call for increased vigilance, enhanced surveillance, and stronger international cooperation.
According to Ghana News Agency, the case involves a health worker who had been aiding the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from May 19 to June 19. The individual departed the DRC in good health, traveled to France, and subsequently developed mild symptoms, leading to a confirmed diagnosis of Bundibugyo Ebola virus infection.
The Africa CDC, in a press statement, emphasized that the health worker complied with all travel requirements and left the DRC without exhibiting symptoms. The agency underscored the rigorous surveillance, screening, and border health measures implemented by DRC authorities at major transit points, including airports in affected regions.
This incident occurs amidst the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak in the DRC and Uganda. The DRC has reported 1,118 confirmed cases and 291 fatalities, with a case fatality rate of approximately 26 percent. Currently, 408 patients are receiving treatment, and 122 patients have recovered, based on the latest update from DRC health authorities.
Uganda, which shares a border with the DRC's Ituri Province-an epicenter of the outbreak-has reported 20 cases and two deaths, as per the Ugandan health ministry.
The Africa CDC highlighted the substantial burden on health workers during the Ebola outbreak and commended the affected health worker for their courage and dedication, as well as the swift response by French health authorities in detecting and reporting the case.