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CDC raises Ebola response to highest level
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention elevated its Ebola response to Level 1 on Friday. Officials cited more than 1,100 confirmed cases and at least 250 deaths across the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda since May. The agency also extended travel restrictions on non-U.S. citizens who recently visited the affected countries.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised its Ebola response to the highest internal level on Friday. Officials said the move will allow the agency to allocate additional staff and resources to support operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
More than 1,100 people have tested positive for the virus since May, and at least 250 people have died. Officials noted the actual death toll is likely higher because the virus spread undetected for months before detection.
Response scale and staffing The agency currently has about 100 staff assigned to the response. This includes 24 staff based permanently in the Democratic Republic of Congo and nearly 100 in Uganda. Satish Pillai, the agency's Ebola response incident manager, said the Level 1 designation signals that the outbreak is now a top agency priority.
Travel measures and funding request The CDC extended travel restrictions on non-U.S. citizens, including lawful permanent residents, who were recently in Congo, South Sudan, or Uganda. The restrictions will remain in effect until July 21. The announcement followed a Trump administration request to Congress for an additional $1.4 billion to support the response.
