Africa-Press. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the mobilization of response efforts following the outbreak of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, supporting its partners in evacuating a limited number of directly affected Americans.
The World Health Organization declared the Ebola virus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern after the suspected deaths of 80 individuals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added in a statement: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is also providing support to its partner agencies that are actively coordinating the safe evacuation of a limited number of Americans directly affected by this outbreak.”
STAT News, a health and medical news agency based in the United States, reported that several Americans currently in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are believed to have been exposed to suspected cases in the latest Ebola outbreak in the country, with many thought to be at high risk, including one individual who may have shown symptoms of the disease.
Test results for these individuals have not yet been released, but the U.S. government is reportedly working to arrange their transport from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to a location where they can be safely isolated and treated if infected.
Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated to reporters on Sunday that the agency has activated its emergency response center to address the outbreak and plans to send additional staff to its offices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
Satish Pillai, the director of the Ebola response at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, declined to disclose whether any Americans are among those infected with the Ebola virus, but confirmed that the risk to the United States remains low.
