The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) will convene a high-level virtual meeting of African Ministers of Health on Wednesday, October 28, the agency announced in Addis Ababa on October 21, as the ongoing Ebola outbreak poses an escalating threat to health security across the continent.

Five months into the response, the outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus continues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with cases now reported in Kenya and Nigeria, Africa CDC said. The geographic spread across Central, Eastern and Western Africa demands urgent, coordinated action, it added. Africa CDC declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security on May 18, 2026.

"Ebola is crossing borders. Our response must move faster, with stronger coordination, greater solidarity and decisive political leadership. We have the expertise and the capacity on this continent. We must mobilise them together to stop this outbreak and save lives," said Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC.

The October 28 meeting will let ministers assess the situation, strengthen coordination across borders, accelerate support to affected countries and reinforce preparedness throughout the continent, the agency said. It is also expected to inform preparations for a Heads of State and Government Summit under the leadership of President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi, Chairperson of the African Union. Africa CDC called on all member states to strengthen vigilance, surveillance, cross-border cooperation, community engagement and the protection of frontline health workers.

Separately, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday it is assisting Nigeria following confirmation of the country's first case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease, UN News reported. The patient is a woman who recently travelled from Uganda and began showing symptoms on October 7, four days after her arrival. She sought care at a private health facility in the capital, Abuja, on October 11, laboratory testing confirmed the diagnosis on October 20, and she remains in isolation, WHO said. Nigerian health authorities have so far identified 44 contacts who are being monitored, and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has activated its incident management system, according to WHO, which has not recommended any travel or trade restrictions.

Nigeria is the fifth country to detect Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease since the outbreak was declared in the DRC in mid-May — the deadliest in that country's history, WHO said. More than 9,500 cases and more than 4,200 deaths were recorded as of October 18, according to the latest data from the Congolese health authorities cited by WHO, and there is currently no vaccine against this virus. Nine cases have been reported in Kenya and one in the Netherlands linked to the DRC outbreak, while Uganda's outbreak was officially declared over in late August, WHO said. Sources: Africa CDC statement, Addis Ababa, October 21, 2026; UN News / WHO, October 21, 2026; Radio47 (Africa CDC release).