Rare Ebola Strain Infects American Doctor in Congo; US Increases Screening

A rare strain of the Ebola virus has infected an American doctor in the Democratic Republic of Congo as the outbreak continues to spread across the country and into neighboring Uganda. The World Health Organization on Sunday declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. More than 300 suspected cases and 118 deaths have been reported in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, while Uganda has confirmed two deaths linked to the outbreak. Dr Jean-Jacques Muyembe, medical director of the Congolese National Institute of Bio-Medical Research, confirmed Monday that the American doctor was among the cases reported in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province. Health experts and aid workers said the virus spread undetected for weeks because early tests searched for the wrong strain of Ebola. “Because early tests looked for the wrong strain of Ebola, we got false negatives and lost weeks of response time,” said Matthew M. Kavanagh, director of the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Policy and Politics. “We are playing catch-up against a very dangerous pathogen.” Kavanagh also criticised the Trump administration’s earlier decision to withdraw from the WHO and reduce foreign aid funding. Congo said the first recorded death from the virus occurred on April 24 in Bunia. The body was later taken to the Mongbwalu health zone, a mining area with a large population. Cases have now been confirmed in Bunia, Goma, Mongbwalu, Butembo and Nyakunde. Congo’s Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said the government was opening three treatment centers, while the WHO said it had sent experts and medical supplies to affected areas. According to the latest figures released Sunday by health minister Samuel-Roger Kamba, 91 reported deaths are suspected to be linked to the current outbreak. Around 350 suspected cases have been reported, with most patients between the ages of 20 and 39. More than 60 percent of those affected are women.

US increases security measures

US health officials said the risk to Americans remained low, but authorities announced new measures aimed at preventing the spread of the virus. The United States on Monday announced it was strengthening precautions, including screening air travelers from affected areas and temporarily suspending visa services. The CDC issued travel advisories urging travelers to Congo and Uganda to avoid people showing symptoms such as fever, muscle pain and rash. The agency also said it was imposing “appropriate measures for identifying individuals with any symptoms” at ports of entry. In addition to airport screening, the CDC said it was implementing entry restrictions on non-US passport holders who had traveled to Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within the past 21 days. The US embassy in Kampala also announced a temporary suspension of visa services, saying affected applicants had been notified. CDC Ebola response incident manager Satish Pillai confirmed that one American had contracted the virus after exposure related to work in Congo. Pillai also said the US was trying to evacuate six additional people for health monitoring. “At this time, CDC assesses the immediate risk to the general US public as low, but we will continue to evaluate the evolving situation and may adjust public health measures as additional information becomes available,” the agency said in a statement. The CDC said the public health measures would include continued “deployment of CDC personnel to support outbreak containment efforts in affected regions” as well as assistance with contact tracing and laboratory testing. CBS News reported that at least six Americans had been exposed to Ebola in Congo, citing anonymous aid organization sources.

What is the Bundibugyo strain?

The Bundibugyo virus is a rare variant of Ebola. Although more than 20 Ebola outbreaks have occurred in Congo and Uganda since 1976, this is only the third time the Bundibugyo strain has been detected. Ebola is highly contagious and can spread through bodily fluids including blood, vomit and semen. The disease is rare but severe and often fatal. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and unexplained bleeding or bruising. There is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the outbreak. The United States formally withdrew from the WHO earlier this year under President Donald Trump. In recent days, US officials have avoided questions about whether cuts to the US Agency for International Development, which played a key role in previous Ebola outbreaks, affected efforts to monitor and respond to the current outbreak. CDC officials have emphasised that they are continuing to work with international partners and health authorities in affected countries.