$18 M Ebola response launched, US urges travel limits

International health agencies are mobilizing an $18 million response to contain a deadly Ebola outbreak centered in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as the United States urges European nations to impose travel restrictions ahead of the FIFA World Cup. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment, has resulted in hundreds of confirmed cases and deaths across the DRC and Uganda.

As of June 9, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported 645 confirmed cases and 114 deaths across both countries. The epicenter is in the DRC's eastern Ituri province, where poor roads and insecurity from armed groups severely hamper access for health workers. Uganda has recorded 19 cases, nearly all from Congolese nationals who crossed the border. On June 11, the head of the Africa CDC, Jean Kaseya, stated that the outbreak in Uganda is "under control," praising the country's contact-tracing efforts which have identified nearly 800 contacts for active follow-up. In contrast, he noted the DRC has traced fewer than 5,000 contacts linked to its cases, far short of the target of approximately 24,000.