TRACKING EMERGING VIRUSES – September 23, 2025 – EBOLA
“Health authorities battling to contain an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are urging neighbouring countries to be vigilant and strengthen response plans to stop the disease spreading across borders.
Since the start of the outbreak in late August, 48 confirmed and probable cases have been reported and 31 people have died in the Bulape health zone, in DRC’s southwestern Kasai province, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
About 50 WHO experts in disease surveillance, clinical care, infection prevention and control, logistics and community engagement are working alongside Congolese response teams in the affected area, where a treatment centre has been set up.
Although the disease is currently limited to this remote area, the WHO says it is working with nearby countries to ensure they are ready to rapidly detect the virus and implement control measures.
Angola, which shares a land border with Kasai province, is the top priority, due to the high risk of cross-border spread. Burundi, the Central African Republic, Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia are considered at moderate risk.” (1)
“Following the declaration of Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola is stepping up disease surveillance, prevention and preparedness measures especially in the country’s Lunda Norte province which borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A multidisciplinary team with experts from the National Directorate of Public Health, the National Institute for Health Research, World Health Organization (WHO), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), visited Tchissanda, Fortuna and Nachire border crossings in Lunda Norte to assess and help implement preparedness measures by local health authorities, as well as raise awareness among communities about Ebola, its symptoms, early reporting of suspected cases and how to stay safe.
The team provided training on key areas such as the Ebola virus disease identification, infection prevention and control, active case finding, diseases surveillance in communities and at points of entry, sample collection and transportation, as well as risk communication, including strategies to address mis- or disinformation.
In total, 140 officials, including health professionals, community mobilizers, police officers and border authorities, took part in the trainings.
“The Ministry of Health’s priority is to guarantee early detection, appropriate case management, and above all, the protection of both our communities and the health workers in the frontline” says Dr Eusébio Manuel, Head of the Department of Hygiene and Epidemiological Surveillance at Angola’s Ministry of Health. “We are firmly committed to strengthening Angola’s preparedness against Ebola.”
In addition, more than 150 traditional and religious leaders, midwives, hunters and traditional healers from five municipalities of Luanda Norte took part in the preparedness activities that also aimed to build community trust and align local response with the municipal outbreak preparedness and action plans to ensure a coordinated and effective response.” (2)
“National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has issued a biosecurity advisory following reports of suspected viral haemorrhagic fevers in parts of Nigeria and neighbouring countries, warning that Ebola remains a significant public health threat.
The agency stressed that protecting the country from Ebola and other biological risks requires coordinated action by government, community leaders, and the general public.
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), which has a fatality rate ranging from 25 to 90 percent, has caused multiple outbreaks in Africa since the 1970s. Nigeria successfully contained its last outbreak in 2014, but public health experts continue to flag risks given the country’s busy transport corridors and exposure to cross-border infections.
NBMA Director-General, speaking through a public statement on Monday, outlined measures already in place, including collaboration with ministries, security agencies, and healthcare institutions to ensure biosecurity at airports, seaports, farms, laboratories, and treatment centres.
State and local governments were urged to strengthen surveillance systems, maintain functional containment and treatment facilities, and enforce regulations in laboratories, markets, and abattoirs. Authorities were also advised to invest in grassroots awareness campaigns, including the translation of safety advisories into local languages.”
The advisory also highlighted other biosecurity threats facing Nigeria, including Lassa fever, avian influenza, anthrax, and antimicrobial resistance, stressing the need for vigilance beyond Ebola.” (3)
Urgent support needed to prevent Ebola spreading in Congo, says Red Cross federation, https://www.news24.com/world/africa/urgent-support-needed-to-prevent-ebola-spreading-in-congo-says-red-cross-federation-20250922-1020
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is coordinating with the White House and the World Health Organization to respond to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo after infectious disease experts raised concerns about the U.S. government’s approach to the crisis.
The agency has deployed two epidemiologists and a senior advisor to Congo from the agency’s headquarters in Atlanta and is working to deploy more staff in coordination with the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ministry of Health, a CDC spokesperson said in an email to NOTUS.
They added that the CDC’s office in the country already had a staff of 30, and two employees have been deployed to the outbreak area.” (4)
New Study Reveals Key to Marburg and Ebola Virus Assembly, Opening Door to Broad-Spectrum Antivirals, https://globalbiodefense.com/2025/09/23/new-study-reveals-key-to-marburg-and-ebola-virus-assembly-opening-door-to-broad-spectrum-antivirals/
1.DRC Ebola outbreak puts neighbours on high alert, https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/drc-ebola-outbreak-puts-neighbours-high-alert
2. Angola strengthens Ebola outbreak preparedness measures, https://www.afro.who.int/countries/angola/news/angola-strengthens-ebola-outbreak-preparedness-measures
3. NBMA issues safety tips over Ebola resurgence, By Seyifunmi Abdulazeez, https://guardian.ng/features/health/nbma-issues-safety-tips-over-ebola-resurgence/
4.CDC Says It’s Coordinating With the WHO, White House on Congo’s Ebola Outbreak, By Margaret Manto, https://www.notus.org/health-science/cdc-who-white-house-congo-ebola,
curated by Jonathan M. Metsch, Dr.P.H.
Clinical Professor of Environmental Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai