DRC sees Bundibugyo Ebola surge

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is confronting an Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rarer species of Ebola that health agencies say is harder to fight because there is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for it. The Congolese health ministry declared the outbreak on May 15 after laboratory testing in Ituri province confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease, and the World Health Organization said the event was serious enough to warrant a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17. WHO and Africa CDC have also reported cross-border risk after Uganda confirmed an imported case from DRC. U.S. authorities, citing the regional outbreak, began enhanced screening at Washington Dulles International Airport on May 21 and restricted entry for some recent travelers from DRC, Uganda and South Sudan. ### Why is this outbreak getting unusual attention? WHO said on May 17 that the outbreak in DRC and Uganda met the threshold for a global public-health emergency because of the risk of international spread and disruption to travel and trade. The agency’s disease-outbreak notice said the first alert came on May 5 from Mongbwalu Health Zone in Ituri province, where an unknown illness with high mortality had been reported, including the deaths of four health workers. (who.int) Africa CDC said on May 15 that it was monitoring the outbreak in Ituri and an imported Bundibugyo case reported by Uganda’s health ministry. The agency called for urgent regional coordination with DRC, Uganda and neighboring states as response teams moved into affected health zones. (who.int) ### What makes Bundibugyo different from the Ebola most people remember? Doctors Without Borders said this outbreak is different from the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic and the 2018-2020 DRC outbreak because it is caused by Bundibugyo virus rather than the more familiar Zaire ebolavirus. WHO said there is no licensed vaccine or specific therapeutics for Bundibugyo virus disease, although early supportive care can improve survival. (africacdc.org) WHO said past Bundibugyo outbreaks have had case-fatality rates ranging from 30% to 50%. MSF said the rarity of the strain complicates assumptions about vaccination and treatment protocols that health workers used in more recent Zaire-strain outbreaks. ### What has the United States actually changed for travelers? CDC said on May 21 that enhanced Ebola airport screening had begun at Washington Dulles for people arriving from the outbreak region. (doctorswithoutborders.org) The agency said a May 18 order suspended entry for foreign nationals who had been in DRC, Uganda or South Sudan within 21 days before arrival, while U.S. citizens, nationals and lawful permanent residents could still enter but would be screened and monitored. (who.int) CDC also said no Ebola cases linked to this outbreak had been reported in the United States and that the risk to the general public remained low. A CDC situation update said travelers from the affected countries should watch for symptoms for 21 days after departure. ### Why has Africa CDC criticized travel restrictions? Africa CDC said it recognized the U.S. government’s sovereign authority to protect public health, but argued that blanket travel restrictions were “not the solution” and could undermine outbreak control. (cdc.gov) In its statement on U.S. measures, the agency urged governments instead to strengthen screening, surveillance, laboratory capacity and support for affected countries. (cdc.gov) WHO’s emergency determination also addressed the risk of interference with international traffic, saying it weighed that factor alongside the risk of spread. That framing has kept attention on whether border controls help contain cases or divert resources from response work inside the outbreak zone. (africacdc.org) ### Are Ebola and hantavirus “the next COVID”? CDC said the public risk in the United States from the current Ebola outbreak is low, and outside experts cited by NPR and other outlets have said Ebola and hantavirus are not “the next COVID” because they spread differently and are not showing the same population-wide transmission pattern. The comparison has nonetheless surfaced repeatedly as U.S. agencies manage screening and quarantine measures in separate outbreaks. (who.int) CDC’s bird-flu update said H5N1 remains widespread in wild birds and is causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows, with sporadic human cases among exposed workers, while the agency continues to describe the current public-health risk as low. Contagion Live argued that political disruption and cuts to public-health resources had weakened the U.S. response to H5N1, a concern that overlaps with warnings from some global-health experts about strained outbreak systems more broadly. (cdc.gov) WHO’s next formal updates are being posted through its DRC outbreak page and weekly external situation reports, while CDC said its travel order will remain in effect for 30 days from May 18. Africa CDC said it is mobilized to support DRC, Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and other at-risk member states as regional coordination continues. (afro.who.int) (cdc.gov)