What to Know and Communicate About the Current Ebola Outbreak

There is currently an Ebola outbreak centered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Central Africa. While the number of cases and deaths from Ebola in Congo is rapidly increasing, with some cases spreading to Uganda, there are no known cases in the United States, and the current risk to U.S. travelers is low.

What is Ebola?

Ebola is a serious, life-threatening virus that can cause outbreaks of disease. Ebola spreads through contact with the body fluids of infected animals or people. Symptoms can start like the flu but progress to:

Severe vomiting
Severe bleeding (hemorrhage)
Neurological disorders affecting the brain and nerves

What is the scale of the outbreak?

As of May 25, Congo and Uganda reported the following:

Congo: A total of 906 suspected cases, 105 confirmed cases, 223 suspected deaths, and 10 confirmed deaths.
Uganda: A total of 7 confirmed cases and 1 confirmed death; 5 cases have clear links to the first 2 confirmed cases.
This is a rapidly evolving situation, and case counts are subject to change.

Is there any threat of Ebola coming to the United States?

While the number of Ebola cases in Congo is rapidly increasing, there are no known cases in the United States and the current risk to U.S. travelers is low, with the exception of travelers to and from Congo, like medical professionals and aid workers.

On May 17, an American health care provider in Congo tested positive for Ebola. They have been transported to Germany for treatment and care. In addition to a shorter flight time from Congo, Germany has prior experience caring for Ebola patients.

What is the difference between an outbreak and a pandemic?

An outbreak is a sudden, localized spike in disease cases. A pandemic is a worldwide spread of a new disease that affects multiple countries or continents. In other words, a pandemic may include a series of outbreaks on a massive, global scale. The current Ebola outbreak in Congo is not a pandemic.

What is being done to contain the outbreak?

The global public health community is working on a coordinated response to the outbreak, with each agency playing different roles.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is monitoring and communicating the risk of spread, as well as coordinating funding and care response on behalf of the United Nations. The WHO released a statement on May 17 that the Ebola outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).
The United States is leading a coordinated federal response, including partners from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Department of State.
As of May 22, the World Health Organization released funding from its Central Emergency Response Fund to accelerate the response in Congo and in the region.
As of May 22, the United States pledged financial assistance and committed to funding up to 50 Ebola treatment clinics in the affected regions.

While the risk of global spread remains low, the outbreak is spreading regionally due to a lack of medical resources and armed conflict in the region.