By Aldgra Fredly
Contributing Writer
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Sunday that it was coordinating efforts to withdraw a “small number” of Americans affected by an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
In a statement, the agency said it was “supporting interagency partners who are actively coordinating the safe withdrawal of a small number of Americans who are directly affected by this outbreak.”
The CDC did not disclose how many Americans were affected or provide details about their health conditions.
Dr. Satish Pillai, the CDC’s Ebola response incident manager, said during a Sunday press conference that the agency is still assessing the situation and emphasized that it does not discuss “individual dispositions.”
“The CDC headquarters and the CDC country office is actively working with our interagency partners, the embassy to fully assess the situation and the needs on the ground,” Pillai told reporters. “It is a highly dynamic situation, and at this point what I would say is we continue to assess. We will continue to keep you posted as we learn more.”
The World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday after more than 300 suspected cases and 88 deaths were reported in Congo, and two confirmed cases were reported in Uganda, including one death.
Pilai said on Sunday that the two cases in Uganda were travelers who returned from Congo. He noted that the CDC has mobilized response efforts following the outbreak in the two nations.
“CDC has activated our Emergency Response Center for this outbreak,” he said, adding that the CDC is aiding Congo and Uganda with surveillance, contact tracing, lab testing, infection prevention and control measures.
Ebola is caused by infection with an orthoebolavirus and spreads through contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected people, according to the WHO.
Early symptoms can include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. These may later progress to vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and impaired kidney and liver functions.
The CDC on Friday issued a Level 2 travel health notice for Congo due to the Ebola outbreak, meaning that people traveling to Congo should “practice enhanced cautions.”
The U.S. Embassy in Congo said in a Sunday alert that Ituri province is listed under a Level 4, or “do not travel,” due to the viral outbreak.
“The U.S. government is extremely limited in its ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Ituri province. Do not travel to this area for any reason,” the embassy stated.
In Uganda, which borders Ituri province, the U.S. Embassy said a travel health notice was issued over the Ebola outbreak.
The overall U.S. State Department travel advisory for Uganda was listed as Level 3, or “reconsider travel,” while the CDC issued a Level 1 alert, or “practice usual precautions,” for the country.
Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
