3 Red Cross volunteers die of Ebola as number of cases rises in Uganda

Key Points:

• Three Red Cross volunteers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo died after contracting Ebola during a March humanitarian mission, before the outbreak was identified; they were involved in dead body management activities in Ituri province, the outbreak's epicenter.
• The Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain with no approved vaccines or treatments, has spread from Congo to Uganda, with 746 suspected cases and 176 deaths reported in Congo, and at least five confirmed cases in Uganda.
• An American surgeon infected in Congo was evacuated to Germany for treatment, and Uganda reported new cases including a driver, a health worker, and a Congolese woman, all currently receiving care.
• WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the outbreak as "deeply worrisome," noting that violence and insecurity are hindering response efforts despite international aid and personnel deployment.
• The U.S. CDC has restricted entry for foreign nationals recently in Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan, while allowing U.S. citizens and residents from these countries limited entry with enhanced screening; no Ebola cases have been reported in the U.S. so far.