The head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that the deadly Ebola outbreak currently affecting four African countries could reach the UK and spread like Covid-19.
Dr Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa CDC, said the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola could spread to Britain if countries worldwide fail to act. His warning comes as the outbreak has now surpassed 10,000 cases, with nearly 5,000 deaths recorded across the affected nations.
Rapid Spread Compared to Covid-19
The speed of transmission has been compared to the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, which began in China before spreading globally and causing millions of deaths.
Dr Kaseya drew a direct parallel between the current situation and the initial response to Covid, noting that many countries initially believed they were at zero risk before later becoming hotspots. He said: "We shouldn’t forget that at the beginning of Covid, many countries said there was zero risk of being affected, but a few months later, they became the hotspot."
Call for Global Action
The Africa CDC chief expressed concern about the potential for the UK and other nations to become future hotspots, adding: "We don't want to see the UK and other countries become the hotspot."
The warning underscores the need for international cooperation to contain the outbreak before it spreads further beyond the African continent.
