Addis Ababa, May 15 (IANS) The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Thursday emphasised the urgent need to enhance continental capabilities, as many African countries lack the necessary capacity to detect and respond to potential hantavirus threats.

Yap Boum II, head of the emergency preparedness and response division at the Africa CDC, told an online media briefing that the agency’s recent assessment of the continent’s preparedness to hantavirus has revealed critical gaps in surveillance capabilities across many African countries, Xinhua news agency reported.

Highlighting that about 40 per cent of countries currently lack functional surveillance systems capable of early detection of suspected hantavirus cases, he said a significant portion of the continent is vulnerable to potential undetected outbreaks.

Tolbert Nyenswah, director of pandemic prevention, preparedness and response at the Africa CDC, underlined the significance of enhancing early case recognition and promoting timely implementation of the 45-day monitoring protocol for exposed or at-risk individuals.

He urged targeted and rigorous infection prevention and control measures to reduce the risk of possible transmission.

According to the Africa CDC, it is currently working to enhance the capacity of national and regional laboratories to swiftly diagnose and confirm hantavirus infections, with a focus on employing molecular methods.

Hantaviruses are carried by rodents and can cause severe disease in humans. People usually get infected through contact with infected rodents or their urine, droppings or saliva.

Meanwhile, earlier on Friday, health authorities confirmed a new outbreak of Ebola virus disease in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Hundreds of suspected cases have been reported in Ituri Province, according to the Africa CDC.

Preliminary tests by the National Institute of Biomedical Research detected the virus in 13 of 20 samples, Africa CDC said in a statement, citing consultations with the DRC’s Ministry of Health and National Public Health Institute.

About 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have been recorded, mainly in Mongwalu and Rwampara, with four deaths among confirmed cases. Suspected cases have also been reported in Bunia.

–IANS

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