Ebola, Meloni at the top of the EU: "Strengthen border surveillance"

Following the epidemic of ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, the Italian government asks the leaders of the European Union to strengthen the vigilance at the borders across common rules for the arrival management from the areas affected by the outbreak. He does it with a letter sent by the prime minister Giorgia Meloni a Ursula von der Leyenad Antonio Costapresidents of the European Commission and the EU Council respectively and Nikos Christodoulidesrotating president of the European Union.

Over the weekend, Italy will send toKinshasain the Democratic Republic of Congo a team of experts from the Spallanzani Institute to provide assistance to the country engaged in dealing with the epidemic of ebola.

Palazzo Chigi: “The Ebola outbreak in Central Africa requires maximum attention”

“Italy believes that the epidemiological situation inCentral Africa connected to the recent Ebola virus outbreak Bundibugyo (BVD) in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda requires maximum attention”. This is what we read in a note from Palazzo Chigi.

Meloni to the EU: “Strengthen border surveillance”

“For this reason, the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, sent a letter to the rotating President of the EU Nikos Christodoulides, to the President of the European Council António Costa and to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. The objective – it is explained – is to urge, in compliance with national prerogatives in terms of health protection, a strengthened coordination of border surveillance through common rules for the management of direct and indirect arrivals from the affected areas”.

Meloni “proposed the inclusion of the topic of border management on the agenda of the European Council from 18-19 June 2026“, explains Palazzo Chigi, adding that “in view of this appointment, the Italian government asked to bring forward the coordination in question in a video conference of the Ministers of Health as early as next week and in I recommend EPSCO of 16 June to define the operational priorities”. At a national level the Ministry of Health, “in conjunction with the Civil Protection, has issued circulars to activate one targeted health surveillance and surveillance protocols for travelers returning from the affected regions.”

No cases in Italy

“The first thing we have to say is that we don’t have any cases of Ebola. No infected in Italy. This must be said because we do not have a pandemic”. This was said by Maria Rosaria Campitiello, director of the Prevention Department of the Ministry of Health, speaking on Unomattina on Rai 1.
“Clearly there is an unconscious reflection of the memory of the Covid pandemic – he observed – but we are not in that situation. The Ministry of Health has activated a ready, rigorous, scientific surveillance and prevention system, and we do not make any discounts regarding the protection and health safety of Italian citizens”.

Furthermore, he announced: “The Ministry of Health is working on documents, documents which must not raise the level of fear or alarm. They are documents which protect Italian citizens. There will probably be, as has already been anticipated by the press – he recalled – an ordinance and a circular which makes the risk assessment clear and which allows each healthcare worker, each region, to understand what they must do if they are faced with a case which may be probable, which may be possible, or a suspicious case” he concluded

Spallanzani experts in the DR of Congo for the Ebola emergency

This weekend – thanks to the work of the Farnesina, the Ministry of Health, Civil Protection and Aise – Italy will send to Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a team of experts of the Institute Spallanzanito provide technical assistance, deliver health materials and medicines, and strengthen epidemiological surveillance”, announces Palazzo Chigi.