A new outbreak of the deadly Ebola fever has emerged in Africa, with several US citizens possibly infected.

On May 17, the World Health Organization declared an outbreak of Ebola fever in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, reports CNNSeveral US citizens were at the epicenter of the outbreak, writes Statnews.

According to the WHO, the current epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, one of several Orthoebolaviruses that can cause Ebola disease.

The organization clarified that the outbreak does not yet meet the criteria for a "pandemic emergency." However, at least 80 estimated deaths and the lack of an approved vaccine raise concerns about the effectiveness of epidemic containment.

On the subject: How viruses arise and why their massive outbreaks are not accidental: the opinion of the epidemiologist

What is Ebola?

Ebola is a severe and often fatal disease that is spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

The virus can also spread through contact with contaminated objects or with the body of a person who has died from the disease.

Symptoms typically include fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat, which may be followed by vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and other symptoms. In the later stages of the disease, internal and external bleeding is possible.

There are six known types of viruses associated with Ebola, but three most commonly cause widespread outbreaks: Ebola virus, Sudan virus, and Bundibugyo virus. The latter is the cause of the current epidemic, according to the WHO.

How many people were infected?

According to the UN and WHO, at least 80 presumed deaths, eight laboratory-confirmed cases, and 246 suspected cases have been recorded in Congo as of May 16. This refers to the remote northeastern province of Ituri, bordering Uganda.

On May 17, the WHO reported another confirmed case in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa, but later clarified that the person "was confirmed negative for the Bundibugyo virus when retested."

Separately, at least one case of Ebola has been detected in the eastern city of Goma, said a spokesman for the Rwandan-backed AFC/M23 rebel coalition that took control of the city last year.

Uganda has registered two laboratory-confirmed cases, including one death, in the capital, Kampala, the WHO reports. The organization says the cases are unrelated, but both patients had previously traveled to the Congo.

The Ugandan government office announced on May 16 that the body of a Congolese citizen who died in Kampala had been returned to Congo. A second patient is in hospital. "There is no cause for alarm," authorities stated in a publication in X.

How dangerous is Ebola fever?

According to the WHO, the fatality rate for Ebola ranged from 25% to 90%. The average fatality rate is around 50%.

For the Bundibugyo strain, the fatality rate is estimated to be between 25 and 40%, according to the international medical organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

“The number of cases and deaths we are seeing in such a short period of time, and the spread of the disease across several health zones and now across the border, is extremely worrying,” said MSF Emergency Response Programme Manager Trish Newport on May 16.

“In Ituri, many people already struggle to access healthcare and live in constant instability, so swift action is critical to prevent the outbreak from spreading further,” she said in a statement.

Last year, 45 people died from Ebola in Congo during an outbreak in a remote region of Kasai province, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Ebola is highly contagious; a very small amount of the virus is enough to cause infection—even a minimal dose can cause illness. Laboratory studies on primates show that even a single viral particle can theoretically cause illness. However, Ebola is not airborne, so it is considered a moderately contagious infection.

There are currently no approved treatments or vaccines specific to the Bundibugyo virus, health experts say.

This is the third recorded outbreak associated with the Bundibugyo strain. It previously caused epidemics in Uganda in 2007–2008 and in the Congo in 2012, MSF reports.

This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the first case was detected in 1976.

Why is this declared a global emergency?

WHO has identified several reasons for declaring the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

The main concern is the growing number of presumed deaths, laboratory-confirmed cases, and suspected cases. Although the true scale of the epidemic is still unknown, all signs point to a potential major outbreak.

Another key risk is the spread of the disease to other countries. Countries bordering Congo are considered high-risk areas for further spread of the infection.

What is being done to contain the epidemic?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on May 17 that it was deploying resources from its offices in Uganda and Congo to support response efforts, including surveillance, contact tracing, and laboratory testing.

The CDC will also send additional support from its Atlanta headquarters, said Dr. Satish Pillai, deputy director of the Division of Emerging Infections.

He said the agency is unaware of any cases of infection on international flights, and both countries have exit screening measures in place to prevent the spread of the virus.

Asked about monitoring at US ports of entry for passengers from the region, Pilai said: "The US has appropriate measures in place to identify people with symptoms."

Non-governmental organisations, including MSF, are also preparing for a large-scale response as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, international coordination is being strengthened to prevent the spread of the epidemic. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted the openness of the authorities in Congo and Uganda in assessing the risks to other countries.

According to the WHO, Ghebreyesus plans to convene an emergency committee as soon as possible to discuss the situation and develop recommendations for a response.

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Several US citizens in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were believed to have been in contact with patients. Some of them were considered to be at high risk of infection. At least one of these individuals may have developed symptoms.

One source said that test results for these individuals are not yet available, but according to available information, the US government is attempting to arrange their removal from Congo to a location where they could undergo safe quarantine and receive medical care if they are confirmed infected. It is unclear whether this would be US territory. The source added that transporting these individuals to a US military base in Germany is also being considered.

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