NAIROBI, August 21. /TASS/. Ten countries in East, Central, and Southern Africa have stepped up health controls at their borders in response to the spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania’s The Citizen reported, citing the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC).

According to the newspaper, the six-month program covers 33 priority border crossings and 16 major trade and transit corridors. The measures are being implemented in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Angola, Malawi, and Mozambique, which are considered high-risk countries for the spread of the virus from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The program includes plans to assess border service readiness, conduct drills, and develop response plans in the event that cases are detected. Standardized procedures are also in place for screening border crossers and referring them to medical facilities if Ebola is suspected.

Particular attention will be paid to digital epidemiological surveillance and movement tracking. Border crossings must strengthen infection control measures, sanitation, and laboratory preparedness for virus detection.

The program is being implemented with support from the World Bank as part of a project to ensure preparedness for and resilience in the face of public health emergencies. Previously, ECSA-HC rolled out a digital system at border crossings that allows for the real-time collection of personal data and transmission of alerts about potential threats to national disease surveillance services.

The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the largest in the country's history. As of August 19, there were more than 5,000 confirmed cases, and over 2,500 people had died. Initially detected in Ituri Province, the epidemic has spread to five other regions of the country.