Sierra Leone has intensified surveillance at all points of entry following active Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, a senior public health official confirmed on Monday, 18 May. The country has reported no confirmed or suspected cases, but authorities are treating the regional threat with heightened urgency.

Surveillance and Preparedness Measures

Foday Sahr, executive director of the National Public Health Agency (NPHA), said surveillance at entry points and health facilities has been substantially strengthened to enable early detection and a rapid response. He confirmed that rapid response teams are on standby across all 16 districts of the country.

Isolation protocols are being reviewed and personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies are being replenished, Sahr added. The measures reflect a precautionary posture shaped by West Africa's painful experience with the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic, which killed more than 11,000 people across the region, with Sierra Leone among the worst affected.

Regional Coordination Under Way

The NPHA is coordinating with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) health authorities, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to monitor developments and exchange real-time information. This multi-agency coordination mirrors the framework established during previous outbreak responses and is considered critical to containing cross-border transmission risk.

African Union Raises Alarm Over Bundibugyo Strain

The African Union (AU) on Monday expressed deep concern over the outbreaks, warning of a 'growing risk of regional spread.' AU Commission (AUC) Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf urged all African countries and partners to intensify support for preparedness, surveillance, and rapid response efforts in affected and at-risk nations.

Critically, the AU flagged that the current outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo strain — for which no strain-specific vaccine is currently available. This distinguishes the present crisis from the 2018-2020 DRC outbreak, which involved the Zaire strain and benefited from an approved vaccine. Youssouf commended the governments of the DRC and Uganda, as well as frontline health workers, for their swift containment efforts under difficult conditions. He also welcomed preparedness steps being taken by neighbouring countries, particularly South Sudan.

Public Health Advisory Issued

Sierra Leone's health authorities have advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel to affected areas, maintain regular handwashing, avoid contact with bodily fluids of infected persons, and report any suspected symptoms immediately through the national emergency line. The guidance aligns with standard Ebola prevention protocols recommended by the WHO.

With no vaccine tailored to the Bundibugyo strain and outbreaks active in two countries simultaneously, public health experts warn that the window for containment is narrow. Sierra Leone's early activation of response protocols may prove decisive in keeping the virus from crossing its borders.