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Ebola Outbreak Threatens to Become Second Largest in History
30 May
Summary
- Ebola outbreak could become history's second largest.
- Conflict in DRC hinders tracking cases and isolating the sick.
- Travel restrictions imposed on those recently in affected areas.
The current Ebola outbreak is on track to become the second-largest in history, according to former CDC Director Robert Redfield. This escalating crisis, already the third-largest outbreak globally, is concentrated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
As of Friday, 134 confirmed cases have been reported, resulting in 18 deaths. The World Health Organization also noted 906 suspected cases with 223 deaths in the DRC as of Wednesday. The situation is exacerbated by ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, which frontline workers describe as a "catastrophic collision of disease and conflict."
Attacks on health facilities and ongoing warfare make tracking cases and isolating the sick extremely difficult. The WHO has urged for an immediate ceasefire to contain the outbreak effectively. Consequently, the CDC has imposed temporary travel restrictions on individuals who have recently traveled from the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan, with enhanced screenings for Americans returning from these areas.
