The World Health Organization has declared the escalating Ebola situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern, following 80 suspected deaths. U.S. health authorities are mobilizing a response, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supporting the safe withdrawal of a small number of directly affected Americans.
The CDC confirmed its involvement, stating: "CDC is also supporting interagency partners who are actively coordinating the safe withdrawal of a small number of Americans who are directly affected by this outbreak." This comes as STAT News reported that several Americans currently in the DRC are believed to have been exposed to suspected cases. Some are deemed to have had high-risk exposures, with one individual potentially developing symptoms.
Response and Quarantine Efforts
While no test results are yet available for these individuals, the U.S. government is reportedly working to arrange their transfer out of the DRC to a location where they can be safely quarantined and treated if infected, according to the STAT report. The CDC has yet to comment on the affair.
CDC Activation and Deployment
CDC officials announced on Sunday that the agency has activated its emergency response center for the outbreak and plans to deploy more personnel to its offices in the DRC and Uganda. Satish Pillai, the CDC Ebola response incident manager, declined to confirm if any Americans were among those infected but emphasized that the risk to the U.S. remains low.
