KAMPALA, May 18, 2026 — The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention [Africa CDC] has warned of a growing risk of regional spread from a new Ebola outbreak centered in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo [DRC], prompting emergency consultations and heightened preparedness measures across East and Central Africa.
In a statement issued Monday, Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya said the outbreak, originating in Ituri province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, poses a serious threat because of “high population mobility, insecurity, and intense cross-border connectivity” with neighboring countries, particularly Uganda.
The warning came as both the DRC and Uganda officially declared Ebola outbreaks on the same day, triggering a coordinated continental response led by Africa CDC under its mandate to manage cross-border public health emergencies affecting multiple African Union member states.
“I commend the Governments of the DRC and Uganda for their continued efforts to contain these outbreaks,” Kaseya said, while also expressing support for South Sudan, which has intensified preparedness efforts because of its proximity to the affected region.
Africa CDC said it convened a high-level consultative meeting on May 16 involving more than 130 participants, including representatives from affected and at-risk countries, donor governments, United Nations agencies, humanitarian organisations, pharmaceutical companies, and other partners.
Participants included delegations from the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union, alongside agencies such as the World Health Organization, UNICEF, World Food Programme and the International Organization for Migration.
The meeting recommended the immediate activation of a continental Incident Management Support Team to coordinate surveillance, laboratory systems, case management, infection prevention and control, logistics, risk communication, and cross-border rapid response operations.
Africa CDC is also weighing whether to declare a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, one of the agency’s highest alert mechanisms under the Africa CDC Statute.
Kaseya said he had consulted Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the evolving situation, while requesting Africa CDC’s Emergency Consultative Group, chaired by Salim Abdool Karim, to urgently assess the risks and advise on the potential emergency declaration.
The Africa CDC chief also said he was seeking political guidance and solidarity from Évariste Ndayishimiye, current chairperson of the African Union, and Cyril Ramaphosa, who serves as the AU’s champion on pandemic prevention and preparedness.
In a sign of the seriousness of the outbreak, Kaseya announced he would cut short his engagements in Geneva during the World Health Assembly and return to Africa to visit affected countries and support national response efforts.
“Africa CDC remains fully committed to working with Member States and partners to protect lives, contain the outbreak, and strengthen Africa’s health security and preparedness architecture,” the statement said.
Uganda postpones Martyrs’ Day celebration
Uganda has postponed this year’s annual Uganda Martyrs’ Day celebrations, usually held on June 3, as part of efforts to prevent further spread of the deadly disease. President Yoweri Museveni said the decision was influenced by the large number of pilgrims who travel to Uganda each year from eastern DRC, where the outbreak has been reported.
In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Museveni said the decision followed consultations with the national task force on epidemic response and religious leaders.
“After consultations with the national task force on epidemic response, and religious leaders, we have decided to postpone the Martyrs’ Day to a later date, which will be communicated. This decision was made because Uganda receives thousands of pilgrims annually from Eastern Congo, which is currently experiencing Ebola outbreak,” Museveni said in a letter posted on his X [formerly Twitter].
He urged Congolese pilgrims who had already begun their journey to return home, continue observing preventive measures, report suspected infections, and seek medical care for anyone showing symptoms of the deadly disease.
“I encourage those who had begun the journey to return home, continue observing the precautionary measure, report anyone who is sick, and encourage those who are ill to seek medical care,” Museveni noted.
https://thecooperator.news/no-ebola-cases-at-mbarara-hospital-director-confirms/
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