Americans in DRC Reported Exposed to Suspected Ebola Cases

A number of Americans in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are believed to have had exposure to suspected cases in the country’s latest Ebola outbreak, sources told STAT. Several of the exposures are described as high-risk, and at least one individual may have developed symptoms.

Test results for the Americans are not yet available. U.S. government is reportedly working to move the individuals out of the DRC for quarantine and possible care, with discussion of using an American military base in Germany as one option.

The suspected case count stands at least 246, with 80 deaths, including at least four health workers. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention held a news conference on Sunday.

When asked about American exposures and evacuation plans, CDC incident manager Satish Pillai did not answer the questions directly.

The outbreak was confirmed Friday by the DRC’s National Public Health Institute. The first known suspected case, a health worker, developed symptoms on April 24. Two infected people traveled independently to Kampala, Uganda, where one died; no ongoing transmission has been reported there.

The virus is Bundibugyo ebolavirus, marking only the third detected outbreak of this species. The area in Ituri province has a history of conflict and cross-border movement that previously complicated response efforts during the 2018-2020 Zaire ebolavirus outbreak.