The East African Community or EAC Secretariat Acting Head of Health calls upon partner states to increase risk and crisis communication by involving community, religious and other leaders and the media in raising public awareness.
Dr Michael Katende in a statement is especially concerned about Ebola spreading into South Sudan.
He urges partners to put in place precautionary measures to stop the spread of Ebola into the region.
Dr Michael Katende calls for vaccination of frontline health workers, screening all travelers at entry points, including airports and training the first responders in case of an outbreak.
The Acting EAC Health head urges traders and business associations and those travelling across the border with DRC to take extra precaution.
He adds that informal and formal traders need to know the risk and take informed decisions to minimize it and actively take precautions.
Dr Katende appeals to all people crossing borders to cooperate with screening immigration, health and security officials at the entry points and strictly follow their advice.
Frontline health workers and members of affected communities should accept to be vaccinated against Ebola for their own protection and help prevent further spread, he adds.
Dr Katende points out that people in the affected regions should avoid unnecessary ‘body to body’ contact as it is the main way of disease transmission.
The public should be vigilant and immediately inform the nearest health workers in case anyone has fever, severe headache, body weakness, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting and bleeding.
The call followed confirmation of Ebola case in the Iturbi province of DR Congo and increasing risk for the East African Community of the outbreak crossing the borders.