An American doctor has been identified among the latest confirmed cases of Ebola in an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has now claimed more than 100 lives.
Doctor tests positive in Bunia
Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the medical director of the Congolese National Institute of Bio-Medical Research, confirmed to The Associated Press on Monday that the US doctor tested positive for the virus in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province. As of Monday, there were over 300 suspected cases and 118 deaths recorded in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, alongside two fatalities in neighbouring Uganda.
WHO declares public health emergency
The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday, highlighting that the Bundibugyo strain involved has no approved vaccines or treatments and had been spreading undetected for several weeks. The delayed response was worsened by the repatriation of the first victim's body on 24 April to a densely populated mining area, allowing the outbreak to escalate before the strain was confirmed on 15 May.
US imposes travel restrictions
In response to global concerns, the United States is implementing a 30-day travel suspension for individuals arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has insisted that the risk to Americans remains low, but the measures are intended to prevent further international spread.
The outbreak, which has now surpassed 100 deaths, continues to challenge health authorities due to the lack of specific medical countermeasures for the Bundibugyo strain and the complex security situation in the affected regions.
