Ebola Outbreak: Current Situation

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Key points

  • CDC is responding to an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in remote areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
  • To date, no cases of Ebola disease have been confirmed in the United States because of this outbreak.
  • The overall risk to the American public and travelers remains low.

Current situation

Risk to the United States

To date, no Ebola cases associated with this outbreak have been reported in the United States, and the risk to the general public is considered low.

Important Information

  • CDC has issued Travel Health Notices for DRC and Uganda due to Ebola outbreaks in East and Central Africa.
    • CDC recommends avoiding non-essential travel to Ituri, Nord-Kivu, and Sud-Kivu provinces in DRC. Travelers to DRC or Uganda should take precautions to avoid Ebola exposure and monitor for symptoms while traveling and for 21 days after leaving.
  • CDC and DHS have implemented enhanced travel screening, entry restrictions, and public health measures to prevent Ebola disease from entering the United States amid outbreaks in East and Central Africa.
    • Affected air passengers from DRC, South Sudan, and Uganda will have their air travel re-routed to arrive at Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD), Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL), George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), or John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Airlines will work directly with affected travelers to rebook flights.
  • To date, South Sudan has not reported any cases, but it is included in these efforts due to shared borders with affected countries.
  • An American citizen who tested positive for Ebola after being exposed as part of humanitarian work in DRC has recovered from the illness and has been released from care.
    • High-risk contacts associated with this exposure did not experience any Ebola symptoms and are now out of the 21-day incubation period for Ebola disease. They have been released from monitoring.

Latest data

Reported cases

This is a rapidly evolving situation, and case counts are subject to change.

The DRC and Uganda Ministries of Health report the following:

DRC

(As of June 15)

  • 837 confirmed cases
  • 196 confirmed deaths
  • NA - probable cases
  • NA - probable deaths
  • NA - suspected cases*
  • NA - suspected deaths*

Uganda

(As of June 16)

  • 19 confirmed cases
  • 2 confirmed deaths
  • 1 probable case
  • 1 probable death

What to know about the outbreak

In early May, a hospital in Bunia Health Zone in northeastern DRC identified a cluster of severe illnesses affecting healthcare workers. Initial samples tested in DRC were negative for Ebola virus, but later 8 out of 13 samples tested positive for an orthoebolavirus, and 5 were inconclusive. Using genetic fingerprinting, the illnesses were identified as Bundibugyo (Bun-dee-BOO-joh) virus, one of the 4 types of orthoebolaviruses that cause Ebola disease in people.

There is no vaccine for Bundibugyo virus, and treatment consists of supportive care. Patients have experienced Ebola disease symptoms like fever, headache, vomiting, severe weakness, abdominal pain, nosebleeds, and vomiting blood.

There have been 2 previous outbreaks of Bundibugyo virus, one in Uganda (2007) and one in DRC (2012), with death rates of 32% and 55%, respectively. This outbreak is now the largest caused by Bundibugyo virus.

Projecting the possible size of the outbreak

A CDC analysis of available data examines what this outbreak could look like over the coming months by running a range of scenarios. This analysis is used as a planning tool to show how public health actions in affected areas could affect case numbers and deaths. The modeling suggests that strong, immediate support is needed to control the current outbreak.

Risk to the United States

CDC assessed the risk posed by this ongoing outbreak to the U.S. population during the next 3 months as low. Even though there are large numbers of cases in DRC, the current likelihood for potential spread of Bundibugyo virus from DRC to the United States is considered very low. Further, if a case was diagnosed in the United States, the risk of community spread in the United States is also low given the strength of our public health system and infection control measures.

For Americans going about their daily lives – including those with travel plans that don't involve the affected countries – there is no recommended change in behavior at this time.

CDC response

CDC is working internationally and domestically to respond to this outbreak and prevent Ebola from entering the United States.

If you were recently in affected areas

CDC has guidance for people who recently have been in areas affected by this Ebola outbreak, including what to do if you feel sick after travel.

What to know if you are returning to the United States from DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan.
Learn what signs and symptoms to watch for if you traveled to an area with an Ebola outbreak.

Map of impacted areas

To date, the Ebola disease outbreak in DRC has been confirmed in Ituri, Nord-Kivu, and Sud-Kivu provinces. Cases related to the DRC outbreak also have been reported in Uganda's capital of Kampala.

This map highlights the provinces of Ituri, Nord-Kivu, and Sud-Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and areas (health zones) within those provinces that have confirmed cases of Ebola disease. The map also highlights one district in Kampala, Uganda with confirmed cases.

Resources

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Travel information

For healthcare providers

For public health professionals

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