The head of Africa’s disease control agency is raising alarms about the spread of Ebola across the continent. An outbreak that started in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now reached Nigeria and Kenya, with officials suggesting these cases may be connected through travel at a Uganda airport. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 9,700 confirmed cases and nearly 4,700 deaths so far. Regional health and government officials plan to meet next week to coordinate responses to prevent further cross-border transmission.
In separate health developments, organizations fighting malaria announced a significant price reduction for a vaccine used across Africa. UNICEF and Gavi secured a 40% cost reduction for the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine, saving approximately $50 million over three years and potentially protecting an additional million children. Meanwhile, polio cases were reported in six countries this week, including Afghanistan and five African nations, indicating ongoing challenges in disease eradication efforts worldwide.
Source: Read the full story at CIDRAP
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