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Africa Cdc

All articles tagged with #africa cdc

world2 days ago•7 min saved

Birx Warns Delayed Reporting Amplifies Congo Ebola Outbreak, Urges Global Readiness

Dr. Deborah Birx warns that Congo’s Ebola outbreak may be larger than reported due to weeks of undetected transmission, with current cases likely infected about two weeks earlier. She emphasizes a comprehensive U.S. response (DART teams, USAID, CDC presence in Kinshasa) and the need to strengthen Africa CDC and regional laboratory capacity to detect and contain outbreaks, warning against overreliance on travel bans and noting past reductions in aid. The discussion calls for sustained global investment and better early detection to prevent spillovers to the U.S. or other countries.

via CBS News|

#africa-cdc #birx #drc

world2 days ago•104 min saved

Ebola alert widens: Uganda reports 3 new cases as Africa CDC flags 10 at‑risk countries

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention warns that 10 African countries are at risk of an Ebola spread, as Uganda confirms three additional cases, signaling a widening outbreak and prompting heightened regional monitoring.

via Yahoo|

#africa-cdc #ebola #outbreak

global-health5 days ago•2 min saved

Ebola travel ban under fire as experts warn it could undermine outbreak response

Critics argue that a U.S. travel ban on travelers from the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan during the Ebola outbreak could impede response efforts and disrupt humanitarian work; Africa CDC warns that generalized border closures are not a solution and may worsen the outbreak by driving movement to unmonitored routes, while noting there are no vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo strain and urging investment in outbreak control at the source rather than travel bans.

via The Guardian|

#africa-cdc #ebola #global-health

health11 days ago•4 min saved

Fresh Ebola outbreak hits Congo’s Ituri region, sparking cross-border fears

Africa CDC has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo’s Ituri province, with 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths, concentrated in Mongwalu and Rwampara and with suspected cases reported in Bunia near the Uganda border. The risk of further spread remains high due to cross-border movement, security disruptions, and mining-related travel. Congo has had 17 Ebola outbreaks since 1976; vaccines exist but logistics and funding challenges have hampered responses in the past. An urgent cross-border coordination meeting with Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and UN partners aims to accelerate surveillance, safe burials, and vaccine delivery.

via WRAL|

#africa-cdc #congo #ebola

africa11 days ago•3 min saved

Ebola spikes in Ituri, DR Congo, with 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases

Africa CDC says an Ebola outbreak has emerged in DR Congo’s eastern Ituri province, reporting about 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths (4 of them lab-confirmed) in towns including Mongwalu and Rwampara, with Bunia under investigation. Preliminary tests in Kinshasa detected the virus; officials warn of rapid spread due to urban settings and mining activity, and coordination with Uganda and South Sudan is being planned. The Congolese government has not officially declared an outbreak, while WHO notes there is no proven cure and a roughly 50% fatality rate. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in DR Congo since 1976.

via BBC|

#africa #africa-cdc #cross-border

health22 days ago•3 min saved

Africa launches continental genomics advisory group to guide public-health innovation

Africa CDC unveiled the African Strategic Advisory Group on Genomics (ASAG), an eight-member, independent panel tasked with providing strategic guidance on governance, standards, ethics, data governance, and capacity building for genomics across Africa. The group aims to democratize access to genomics, strengthen outbreak surveillance and precision public health, encourage local manufacturing of countermeasures, and ensure African leadership and equitable benefit-sharing. ASAG’s chair is Prof. Christian Happi and co-chair Prof. Ghada El-Kamah, with Africa CDC retaining decision-making and prioritization while ASAG offers non-binding recommendations to advance Africa Health Security and Sovereignty.

via Africa CDC|

#africa-cdc #africa-health-security-and-sovereignty #capacity-building

health1 month ago•6 min saved

Burundi mystery illness kills five as Africa CDC probes unknown pathogen

An outbreak in Burundi has killed at least five people and sickened 35 since March 30, with a 14% case-fatality rate. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, and dark urine; tests for more than 200 pathogens (including Ebola, Marburg, Rift Valley fever, yellow fever, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever) were negative. Authorities are conducting animal testing to assess possible zoonotic transmission, while Burundi's health ministry, with WHO support, coordinates surveillance, clinical care, lab work, and sample shipments to DR Congo for further analysis.

via CIDRAP|

#africa-cdc #burundi #health

world4 months ago•3 min saved

Africa CDC Defends Sovereignty Over US-Backed Infant Vaccine Trial

Africa CDC chief Jean Kaseya rebuked a US-backed plan to run an infant hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau, insisting any study must be authorized by Guinea-Bissau’s National Medicines Regulatory Authority, National Ethics Committee, local IRBs, and the Ministry of Health, underscoring Africa’s sovereignty. The proposed trial would have enrolled about 14,000 newborns (7,000 vaccinated, 7,000 controls) and was funded with $1.6 million from the US HHS. Critics say such research should serve Africans’ needs and ensure standard care for controls, while the US has criticized Africa CDC as “fake and powerless.” The flare-up exposes tensions between Western funders and African health authorities over governance of research.

via Futurism|

#africa-cdc #clinical-trials #guinea-bissau

world4 months ago•5 min saved

Guinea-Bissau halts US-backed hepatitis B vaccine trial amid ethical and sovereignty concerns

Guinea-Bissau suspended a US-funded, Denmark-led hepatitis B vaccine trial after ethics-review gaps and concerns about consent, with the health ministry citing sovereignty as the deciding factor. The Africa CDC will review the protocol alongside invited US and Danish officials, amid criticism from some experts and a political shift following a coup. The trial design—with 7,000 infants vaccinated at birth and 7,000 withheld for comparison—raised ethical alarms, contrasting with WHO guidance that recommends newborn vaccination within 24 hours and Guinea-Bissau’s current six-week schedule; the outcome will hinge on the ministry’s decision.

via The Guardian|

#africa-cdc #ethics #guinea-bissau

world4 months ago•3 min saved

HHS Faces Backlash Over Controversial Guinea-Bissau Vaccine Trial and Africa CDC Clash

The article reports that a U.S. HHS-funded hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau—budgeted at $1.6 million and enrolling 14,000 infants, with only half receiving the vaccine—has sparked ethics concerns and comparisons to the Tuskegee study; Africa CDC says the trial is not affiliated with the US CDC and claims it has been halted, while HHS asserts the study will proceed; the affair unfolds amid a broader WHO-Africa CDC collaboration and an anticipated press conference, keeping the situation in flux.

via Futurism|

#africa-cdc #ethics #guinea-bissau

health4 months ago•6 min saved

Ethics questions halt US-backed hepatitis B birth-vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau

An Africa CDC-backed US-funded birth-dose hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau has been cancelled due to ethical concerns over its design; officials say it will only resume after a redesign to meet ethical norms, with ongoing talks between Guinea-Bissau and the US. Critics argued the trial could deprive thousands of children of vaccination for the sake of a coin-toss allocation, while supporters say it could improve access if properly implemented.

via The Guardian|

#africa-cdc #guinea-bissau #health

health8 months ago•7 min saved

Is mpox still a threat?

Despite declarations of a global health emergency in August 2024, mpox has largely faded from headlines, but the outbreak persists with over 100,000 suspected cases in Africa and a significant spread worldwide. Challenges include limited data, vaccine shortages, and delayed responses, though some progress has been made in testing capacity and vaccine approval. Experts warn that the virus could become more entrenched if global efforts remain insufficient, highlighting the need for sustained action to prevent future outbreaks.

via NPR|

#africa-cdc #health #mpox

health1 year ago•7 min saved

Unexplained 'Disease X' Outbreak in Congo Sparks Global Concern

An unexplained outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has seen a rise in cases, with 147 new reports this week, up from 111 the previous week, according to the Africa CDC. The outbreak, affecting mainly children under five, has resulted in 32 confirmed deaths, with investigations ongoing into additional community-reported deaths. Challenges in testing, including poor sample quality and difficult logistics, are hindering efforts to identify the outbreak's cause. More samples are being sent to the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa for further analysis.

via University of Minnesota Twin Cities|

#africa-cdc #drc #health

health1 year ago•2 min saved

Experts Investigate Mysterious 'Disease X' Outbreak in DR Congo

Africa CDC has deployed experts to the Democratic Republic of Congo to investigate an outbreak of an unknown disease, referred to as "Disease X," which has a high mortality rate among children. The agency is collaborating with local health authorities and international partners to enhance disease monitoring and laboratory capabilities, focusing on genomic surveillance and decentralized infrastructure. This effort aims to improve outbreak response and preparedness, with Africa CDC providing advanced diagnostic tools and expertise to support the investigation and control measures.

via africacdc.org|

#africa-cdc #democratic-republic-of-congo #disease-x

health1 year ago•5 min saved

Unraveling the Mystery of 'Disease X' in Congo: What We Know So Far

A mysterious illness in the Democratic Republic of Congo has resulted in 79 deaths and 376 cases, primarily affecting children under five. The disease, which presents flu-like symptoms and anemia, was first reported in late October in the Kwango province. The Africa CDC and WHO are investigating the outbreak, with laboratory results pending. The situation highlights challenges in disease detection and response in remote areas, and experts emphasize the importance of global surveillance and support to prevent potential spread.

via ABC News|

#africa-cdc #congo #health