American Doctor Contracts Ebola as Death Toll in DR Congo Surpasses 130—Uganda Braces for Confirmed Cases
An American doctor is among those infected in a rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where deaths have exceeded 130, with confirmed cases now reaching Uganda.
Jean Kasaya, director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, confirmed on May 19 that the Ebola death toll in the Democratic Republic of Congo has climbed to at least 131, with more than 513 suspected infections. Health authorities are urging strict adherence to public health measures as the outbreak spreads. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed two Ebola cases in Uganda, with one fatality, while the World Health Organization declared the Bundibugyo virus outbreak a global public health emergency. An American doctor working in DR Congo is among those infected and will be transferred to Germany for treatment, with at least six Americans reported to have had contact with the virus. Despite assessing the risk to the United States as low, authorities elevated travel advisories for DR Congo to the highest level 4 and imposed entry restrictions for non-U.S. passport holders who have been in DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past 21 days.
