The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is making the Ebola outbreak response a top priority as infections spread in Africa, while officials said there is no immediate threat to the United States.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has raised its Ebola response to the agency’s highest level as the outbreak continues spreading in Africa, with more than 1,100 confirmed cases reported across Congo and Uganda since May.
At least 250 people have died from the virus, and officials expect the number of confirmed infections and deaths to increase. The CDC said Friday that the escalation reflects the scope of the outbreak and allows the agency to commit more resources to its response.
More than 1,100 people in Congo and Uganda have tested positive for Ebola since May, according to the CDC.
“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,” Satish Pillai, the CDC’s Ebola response incidence manager, told reporters, according to The Hill.
Pillai said the agency’s decision does not mean there is an immediate concern for the United States. He said public health officials are focused on the outbreak’s direction in Africa, including rising case counts and broader geographic spread.
Pillai said experts are concerned about the “trajectory of cases, which are rising rapidly, as well as the continued geographic spread.”
Raising the response to level one means the CDC is treating the outbreak as a top operational priority. The agency’s Ebola response team includes more than 100 employees working domestically and globally.
The Trump administration has also requested additional funding to support the response to the outbreak in Africa.
The heightened CDC response follows U.S. travel restrictions imposed on non-U.S. citizens, including lawful permanent residents, who were recently in Congo, South Sudan or Uganda. Those restrictions are scheduled to remain in place through July 21.
Ebola is a severe viral disease that can cause fatal illness, and outbreaks require rapid coordination among public health agencies, health workers and affected governments. The CDC’s move to its highest response level signals that U.S. health officials are expanding coordination and support as Congo and Uganda work to contain the current spread.
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