US CDC raises Ebola response to highest level in DR Congo and Uganda

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has elevated its response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda to its highest internal emergency level, citing the rapid spread and increasing complexity of the epidemic.

The decision comes as more than 1,200 confirmed Ebola cases, including over 320 deaths, have been reported across the two countries since May, with health authorities warning that the actual number of infections is likely to be significantly higher. International health experts say available evidence suggests the virus may have been spreading undetected for several months before authorities identified the outbreak.

"Elevating the response level reflects the urgency, scale, and complexity of the outbreak, and allows CDC to bring additional resources to support the coordination and operational needs of our response," said Satish Pillai, the CDC's Ebola response incident manager.

"We are very concerned about the trajectory of cases, which are rising rapidly, as well as the continued geographic spread," Pillai said, while emphasizing that the outbreak currently poses no direct risk to the United States.

CDC's highest emergency response

The CDC's Level 1 activation is the agency's highest emergency response category and signals that the Ebola outbreak has become a top institutional priority. Pillai said the designation would enable the agency to rapidly mobilize additional personnel and resources.

The agency currently has approximately 100 staff deployed domestically and internationally in support of the Ebola response, including teams operating in both the DRC and Uganda.

The last time the CDC activated a Level 1 response for Ebola was during the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, which infected more than 28,000 people and claimed over 11,000 lives.

The escalation follows a request by the Trump administration for an additional $1.4 billion in funding from Congress to support the Ebola response. It also comes after the CDC extended travel restrictions affecting non-US citizens and lawful permanent residents who have recently traveled to the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan. The restrictions are now set to remain in place until July 21.

However, global health experts, including officials at the World Health Organization (WHO), have repeatedly cautioned that travel restrictions have limited effectiveness in containing infectious disease outbreaks. While such measures may delay the international spread of a virus, they rarely prevent transmission entirely and can contribute to stigma and discrimination.

Several infectious disease specialists and veterans of previous Ebola responses have criticized the US administration's approach, arguing that greater emphasis should be placed on supporting outbreak control efforts within affected countries rather than focusing primarily on preventing the virus from reaching US borders.

Africa CDC pushes regional preparedness

As international concern grows, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has convened a three-day emergency meeting aimed at strengthening regional preparedness and coordination.

The meeting brings together officials from the DRC, neighboring Uganda, and 11 other African Union member states considered at high risk of cross-border transmission, alongside representatives from the WHO and other technical partners.

Participating countries are expected to assess their preparedness capacities, exchange lessons learned from ongoing response efforts, and enhance cross-border surveillance and coordination mechanisms.

"Africa CDC is working with member states and partners to move from plans to operational readiness at borders, in communities, in health facilities, and inside emergency operations centers," said Tolbert Nyenswah, a senior Africa CDC official.

(With input from wires)