The Director-General of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Jean Kaseya, has warned that the continent is not yet winning the fight against the ongoing Ebola outbreak, as confirmed cases have surpassed 10,000 and total deaths approach 5,000.
Kaseya made the remarks during an extraordinary meeting of African health ministers convened to evaluate the surge and reinforce a unified, continental response.
“I have worked on Ebola outbreaks for more than 30 years. I have never stopped feeling the weight of each life lost,” Kaseya said.
“Yesterday I stood before more than 40 African Ministers and said what the data tells us: we are not winning so far. 10,172 confirmed cases. 4,932 people are gone.
”The director-general noted that health ministers across the continent agreed to elevate readiness for potential importations, coordinate cross-border surveillance, and keep commercial borders open while tightening health monitoring protocols.
“Ebola anywhere in Africa demands preparedness everywhere in Africa,” Kaseya added. “We will get there, together.”
The ongoing health emergency, caused by the Bundibugyo species of the Ebola virus, was first declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in May 2026. According to data compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO), 10,172 confirmed cases and 4,932 deaths have been documented across five countries: the DRC, Uganda, France, Kenya, and Nigeria.
The epicenter remains in the DRC, which accounts for 10,141 confirmed cases and 4,928 deaths across eight affected provinces as of late October. Elsewhere, Kenya has reported nine confirmed cases and two deaths, while Uganda has recorded 20 confirmed cases and two deaths alongside one probable case and one probable death.
France and Nigeria have each recorded one imported case with zero fatalities. Nigeria’s single confirmed case involved an individual with recent travel history to Uganda who tested positive on October 20. The patient was subsequently evacuated to Switzerland for specialized medical care.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) continues to monitor 54 identified contact persons linked to the case.
Kaseya emphasized that the current trajectory necessitates aggressive preparation even in jurisdictions currently reporting zero cases.
Reflecting on lessons learned from the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola crisis, Kaseya highlighted how unchecked transmission disrupts wider society, citing historical consequences where approximately five million children faced educational disruptions, 23,000 children lost parents, and nearly $3 billion in economic output was lost.
“We already know what an uncontrolled Ebola outbreak costs,” Kaseya observed. “The data is hard to hear, but it is also our best chance to change course.”
