China will send a new batch of emergency medical assistance to Africa to support efforts to contain a growing Ebola outbreak that has spread across parts of Central and East Africa, Chinese authorities said on Tuesday.
The aid package, reported by Xinhua, will include medical supplies, protective equipment and technical support, according to China’s National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, which said the assistance reflects Beijing’s commitment to strengthening public health cooperation with African countries.
Chinese officials said the support would help affected nations improve disease surveillance, laboratory testing, treatment capacity and epidemic prevention measures.
The announcement comes as African leaders have rallied behind a $518 million continental response plan launched by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to curb the spread of the virus.
According to Africa CDC figures, the outbreak has recorded more than 800 confirmed and probable cases and nearly 200 deaths. The epidemic, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, is centered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with neighboring Uganda also reporting infections.
Health authorities have warned that cross-border population movements and trade links could accelerate transmission. At least 11 countries are considered at elevated risk, including Burundi, Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia, alongside the DR Congo and Uganda.
Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya has described the outbreak as the most serious ever linked to the Bundibugyo strain, for which no approved vaccine or treatment currently exists.
China said it would continue working with African partners and international organizations to strengthen epidemic response capabilities and safeguard public health across the continent.
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