ADDIS ABABA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has warned that 10 African countries are at high risk of the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, amid growing concern over regional spread.
During an online press briefing on Saturday evening, Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya said the 10 high-risk countries are South Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, Zambia, the Central African Republic, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Angola, the Republic of the Congo, and Burundi.
"We have two affected countries and 10 countries at high risk. All other African countries, because they are not bordering the two affected countries, we are not calling them at risk for now, but depending on the way the outbreak is moving, we can reconsider this," Kaseya said.
According to data from the African Union's specialized healthcare agency, a total of 745 cases, including both suspected and confirmed infections, and 176 probable deaths have been reported since the DRC declared its 17th outbreak on May 15.
The Ebola virus is highly contagious and can cause symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain or malaise, and, in severe cases, internal and external bleeding, with fatality rates varying depending on the viral subtype, according to the World Health Organization. ■