Africa CDC urges enhanced public health measures to reduce cross-border Ebola transmission

ADDIS ABABA, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has urged African countries to "urgently review, strengthen, and implement" enhanced exit screening and public health measures across all international airports, seaports, and major ground crossings to contain the ongoing Ebola outbreak.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya called for coordinated and evidence-based action to reduce the risk of cross-border transmission while preserving safe movement, trade, humanitarian operations, and economic activity.

The African Union's specialized continental public health agency, however, emphasized that its call for action toward strengthening early detection capabilities "is not a call to restrict travel or trade."

"Ebola must be stopped at its source through science, surveillance, transparency, and coordinated action," the agency said. "Strong public health measures at points of entry and exit provide a practical, visible, and verifiable way to reduce risk and maintain international confidence."

The agency called on countries to enhance national coordination between health, security, immigration, civil aviation, port and security services, as well as other relevant sectors involved in public health and border management.

The Africa CDC's call came ahead of an upcoming high-level conference of African heads of state and partners to mobilize political leadership, solidarity, and resources to accelerate containment of the outbreak and reinforce continental preparedness.

Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda have reached 608, with the death toll climbing to 102, representing a 16.7 percent case fatality rate. The outbreak's transmission is currently concentrated in Ituri Province in eastern DRC, according to the Africa CDC's latest outbreak update issued Tuesday.