A former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that an Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, which has already led to more than 600 suspected cases, could spark a new global pandemic. Dr. Robert Redfield expressed his concerns during an appearance on NewsNation's 'Elizabeth Vargas Report,' stating that the outbreak is likely to become a 'very significant pandemic.'
Redfield's Concerns
Dr. Redfield highlighted the unusual scale of the outbreak, noting that it was not detected until there were over 100 cases, unlike previous outbreaks where recognition occurred with just five to ten cases. He emphasized that the outbreak is moving rapidly, with over 500 cases and close to 150 deaths already reported. 'This is an outbreak right now that is really a significant outbreak, that's of significant public health international concern, partially because it wasn't recognized very quickly. I'm not sure why,' he added.
WHO Declaration
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a 'public health emergency of international concern.' Local health officials have reported 536 suspected cases, 105 probable cases, 34 confirmed cases, and 134 suspected deaths from the disease to date.
US Response
In response to the outbreak, the US government announced that all Americans returning from high-risk nations for Ebola must rebook their travel to arrive at Dulles International Airport for screening. This applies to those who have been in South Sudan, Uganda, or the DRC in the previous 21 days. Additionally, a flight from Paris to Detroit was diverted to Montreal after an individual from the Ebola-hit DRC was on board, though the passenger was asymptomatic and later returned to France.
Transmission and Mortality
Unlike COVID-19 or the flu, Ebola does not transmit through the air but through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected or deceased individuals. The current outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain, which has a mortality rate of up to 50 percent. About half of those infected with this strain die from the disease.
US Cases and Precautions
One American, Dr. Peter Stafford, has tested positive for the virus while working in the DRC and has been transported to Germany for treatment. The 39-year-old was barely able to stand when he was flown out of the country. CDC officials stated that the risk to the general US public remains low but urged travelers to avoid affected areas and monitor for symptoms for 21 days after leaving the DRC.
Outbreak Details
The first suspected case was recorded on April 24 in a health worker in Bunia, DRC, who developed fever, hemorrhaging, vomiting, and intense malaise. The individual later died, but it took three weeks for tests to reveal Ebola, allowing the disease to spread. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC since 1976 and the third caused by the Bundibugyo strain, which previously caused outbreaks in 2007 and 2012.
WHO and CDC Actions
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed deep concern about the scale and speed of the epidemic, expecting cases and deaths to rise. The CDC is deploying personnel, personal protective equipment, and resources to the DRC and Uganda for disease tracking and contact tracing. The WHO is considering using the Ervebo vaccine, but it would take months to become available.
Symptoms of Ebola include fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and unexplained bleeding or bruising. The mortality rate for the Bundibugyo virus ranges from 25 to 50 percent. The most recent Ebola outbreaks in the DRC in 2018 and 2020 killed more than 1,000 people each, while the largest outbreak in West Africa from 2014 to 2016 reported over 28,600 cases.
