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A weekly development news platform published by UrgeDevWire, produced by Urge Communications. Covering wider East African region.

Inside Health News Desk| East Africa. Urge- DevWire

Africa CDC calls for stronger protection of Ebola responders after US aid worker infected

Addis Ababa, 9 July 2026

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said 112 health workers have been infected with Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the outbreak began, including 35 who have died, and called for stronger protection of everyone working on the response. The statement followed confirmation that a United States humanitarian worker supporting the response in Bunia had tested positive for the virus.

Africa CDC said health workers, humanitarian personnel, community responders, laboratory teams, volunteers and operational staff are sustaining the outbreak response under intense pressure, and that their safety is central to stopping transmission. The agency said the relevant authorities and response teams have launched an epidemiological investigation, contact identification and exposure risk assessment concerning the infected American worker, with the circumstances of exposure still under investigation.

The statement underscored that health workers identify cases, care for patients, follow contacts and protect affected communities, and that continued infections among responders threaten the pace and sustainability of the outbreak response across the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Source: Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, statement published 9 July 2026.

Inside Health News Desk| East Africa. Urge- DevWire