With the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) facing its 17th Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified in 1976, the World Health Organization has determined the outbreak to constitute a public health emergency of international concern. Additionally, the US has implemented a Title 42 order to enhance travel screening, entry restrictions, and public health measures to prevent the current Ebola variant, Bundibugyo ebolavirus, from entering the US. It is only the second time the title has been invoked since it was enacted in 1944.
Americans have been warned against all travel to the DRC, South Sudan and Uganda; and effective immediately, for 30 days, the following Title 42 public safety measures are in place:
- Enhanced public health screening and traveler monitoring for individuals arriving from areas affected by Ebola outbreaks in the region.
- Entry restrictions on non-US passport holders if they have been in Uganda, DRC, or South Sudan in the previous 21 days.
- Coordination with airlines, international partners, and port-of-entry officials to identify and manage travelers who may have been exposed to Ebola virus.
- Enhanced port health protection response activities, contact tracing, laboratory testing capacity, and hospital readiness nationwide.
- Continued deployment of CDC personnel to support outbreak containment efforts in affected regions.
On Monday, a US Christian missionary physician was confirmed as having tested positive for the virus while serving in the DRC; and as of Tuesday, there were 131 deaths confirmed as linked to the current outbreak. However, the outbreak is seen as unusual due to significant uncertainties as to the actual number of infected persons and geographic spread, and the limited understanding of the epidemiological links with known or suspected cases.
Symptoms of Ebola include fever, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, or unexplained bleeding and there are currently no licensed vaccines or therapeutics available specifically for the Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain. Thus, neighboring countries sharing land borders with the DRC are considered at high risk for further spread due to population mobility, trade and travel linkages, and ongoing epidemiological uncertainty.
COVID Risk Matrix:
Influenza:
Public Health News:
- Zoonotic transmission of a potential case of bird flu from a domestic cat to a human has been documented for the first time. The asymptomatic patient was a veterinarian who treated the sick cat that had consumed infectious raw animal products.
- Dengue associated with travel is increasing. Case numbers in 2024 were up over 300% over previous years. 97% of these were related to travel to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, where dengue is endemic in some locales.
- The WHO has officially designated the ongoing Ebola outbreak linked to the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The Africa CDC called an Urgent Regional Coordination Meeting Following Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain, first detected in the Ituri Province, DRC. At least 246 suspect cases have been identified and 131 deaths have occurred. This is the DRC’s 17thEbola outbreak since the virus was first identified in 1976. The WHO is on site and is supporting the outbreak response among concerns of possible spread to neighboring countries. There are no licensed vaccines or therapeutics currently available specifically for this strain. Efforts are underway to assess potential medical intervention options.
