Frequent burials and at least 80 dead as Congo grapples with Ebola outbreak

Key Points:

• At least 80 deaths and 246 suspected cases have been reported in Congo's latest Ebola outbreak in Ituri province, caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, which has no approved vaccines or treatments.
• The outbreak, Congo's 17th since 1976, began around April 24 with a suspected index case of a nurse who died in Bunia; health workers are intensifying screening and contact tracing amid local fears.
• Uganda confirmed an imported Ebola case from Congo, with the patient dying in Kampala; neighboring Kenya has formed an Ebola preparedness team and considers the risk of importation moderate.
• Logistical challenges in Congo, including conflict and vast distances between provinces, complicate outbreak management, while only 13 blood samples have been tested so far, with eight confirmed positive.
• Experts express concern about potential impacts of U.S. budget cuts to global health agencies on outbreak response capacity, though the U.S. retains the ability to manage high-consequence pathogens domestically.