Online Reporter
ADDIS ABABA. – The diagnosis of an imported Bundibugyo Ebola virus case in France reinforces the vital need to maintain sustained vigilance, strengthen surveillance, and enhance international solidarity, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has said.
The imported case involves a health worker who had recently supported the ongoing Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from May 19 to June 19.
He left the DRC “in good health” and travelled to France before developing mild symptoms and seeking medical care. Laboratory testing confirmed infection with the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, the Africa CDC said in a statement on Wednesday.
The African Union’s specialised public health agency said the health worker left the DRC symptom-free and met every travel requirement in force at the time.
The agency highlighted the strengthened surveillance, entry and exit screening, and border health measures implemented by DRC authorities as part of the Ebola response, including at key points of entry and departure, airports in affected areas, and major transit hubs.
The incident came as the continued Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak expanded in the DRC and Uganda.
The DRC has reported 1,118 confirmed cases and 291 deaths, with a case fatality rate of about 26 percent. –Xinhua
