Addis Ababa, July 12 (IANS) The confirmed infection of a US humanitarian worker supporting the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has added critical urgency to the protection of health responders, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said.

The Africa CDC said in a press statement that health workers, humanitarian personnel, volunteers and operational staff are “sustaining the response under intense pressure,” identifying cases, caring for patients and protecting affected communities in order to contain transmission.

It said relevant authorities and the response team have launched an epidemiological investigation, contact tracing and exposure risk assessments concerning the US humanitarian worker, while highlighting that the exact circumstances of the exposure remain under investigation. The confirmed case has been supporting the outbreak response in Bunia, the capital of eastern DRC’s Ituri Province and the epicentre of the outbreak, Xinhua news agency reported.

At least 112 healthcare workers have been infected with the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, while some 35 have lost their lives in the DRC, according to the latest data from the African Union’s specialised public health agency.

“Reliable protective equipment, strong infection prevention systems, continuous training, psychosocial support and safe working conditions are essential for every person delivering this response,” the statement quoted Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya as saying.

The agency urged all organisations operating in affected areas to strengthen occupational safety measures, report suspected exposures and symptoms promptly, and provide continuous support to their personnel.

Last month, France reported an imported Bundibugyo Ebola case involving a health worker who had supported the response in the DRC.

Meanwhile, Kaseya and World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus are set to visit the epicentre of the ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC next week, as part of a joint mission aimed at accelerating outbreak response.

This came after a meeting between heads of the two organisations in Geneva, Switzerland, where discussions focused on the continued Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak in the DRC and Uganda, as well as the “urgent action required on the ground,” Kaseya said Saturday in a statement issued on X.

“We agreed to travel together to Bunia (the capital of eastern DRC’s Ituri Province and the epicentre of the outbreak) on July 18 and 19 to meet national authorities, frontline health workers, affected communities, and response partners,” the Africa CDC chief said.

–IANS

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