The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has issued interim guidelines to African Union member states to strengthen surveillance and cross-border preparedness against the Ebola Bundibugyo strain.
The guidance follows consultations with affected countries, public health experts and international partners and sets out practical measures to tighten exit screening at airports, seaports and land border crossings.
The Africa CDC said enhanced surveillance and infection prevention and control activities at points of entry are critical for improving public health awareness and supporting preparedness, response efforts and decision-making at local, regional and national levels.
The guidelines call for effective reporting and information management systems to support the collection, consolidation and analysis of data generated through routine operations and public health event detection activities.
Countries may use a range of tools based on their resources and existing systems, including paper-based registers, tally sheets, standard reporting forms, electronic surveillance platforms, mobile applications and integrated health information systems.
Under surveillance and case detection measures, key performance indicators include the number of travellers screened at points of entry and the number of new alerts identified.
As of June 8, 2026, a total of 608 confirmed Ebola Bundibugyo cases and 102 deaths had been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, giving a case fatality rate of 16.7%.
Twenty-three patients have recovered, while 6,403 contacts have been identified for follow-up. The outbreak has spread across 25 health zones in the DRC and one district in Uganda.
Healthcare workers continue to face elevated risks, with 34 confirmed infections and five deaths reported in the two countries.
Africa CDC urged countries to adopt evidence-based and risk-based measures that help contain the outbreak while allowing essential travel, trade and humanitarian activities to continue.
The continental health agency also opposed blanket travel restrictions and bans linked to the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak, warning that such actions could undermine national and global health security objectives.