Daijiworld Media Network - Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa, Nov 13: The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the ongoing Bundibugyo outbreak has crossed 11,000, with the death toll climbing to 5,437, as Africa marked six months since the outbreak began, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

Addressing an online media briefing, Africa CDC described the outbreak as a major test of health security across the continent, expressing concern over persistent constraints and gaps affecting efforts to contain the deadly virus.

"As we mark six months since the beginning of this outbreak, while we are having some progress, the past six months have shown that we are still facing challenges. Most of those challenges are concentrated in the epicentre of this outbreak, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)," said Wessam Mankoula, an Africa CDC official.

According to the latest Africa CDC data, the multi-country outbreak has recorded 11,145 confirmed cases and 5,437 deaths, representing a case fatality rate of 48.8 per cent. A total of 3,058 patients have recovered.

Highlighting the major challenges affecting response efforts in the DRC, Mankoula cited an increase in community infections and deaths, insecurity, and infections and fatalities among healthcare workers, Xinhua News Agency reported.

He noted that only around 11 per cent of new cases were linked to known contacts, far below the standard target of 95 per cent. Gaps in contact listing and tracing have therefore emerged as major operational challenges, further aggravated by insecurity.

Africa CDC also warned that the outbreak was placing additional pressure on the DRC's already overstretched healthcare system, which is struggling with conflict, displacement and multiple disease emergencies.

Despite these challenges, Mankoula pointed to progress in containing the outbreak in other affected countries, particularly Kenya and Nigeria.

Kenya, which reported its first imported Ebola case on October 6, has recorded nine confirmed cases and two deaths. No new cases have been reported since October 19.

On Wednesday, Kenyan health authorities announced that the country's last Ebola patient had been discharged from hospital. The final 11 contacts also completed their mandatory 21-day monitoring period and were released in good health.

Mankoula also acknowledged Nigeria's efforts to contain the outbreak. Of the 62 contacts identified in the country, 59 have completed monitoring and been discharged, while the remaining three are continuing their mandatory observation period.

Apart from the four affected African countries, 10 other nations have been designated as high-risk due to the possibility of further spread. They are South Sudan, Rwanda, Zambia, the Central African Republic, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Angola, the Republic of the Congo, Burundi and Somalia.

Africa CDC declared the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security on May 18, a day after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.