Transcript: Dr. Deborah Birx on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," May 24, 2026

Key Points:

• The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is severe due to multiple undetected infection cycles before reporting, causing a rapid rise in cases and deaths with data lagging behind real-time transmission.
• Despite concerns about Ebola's spread to the U.S., Dr. Birx emphasized that the DRC has experienced many outbreaks before and that the U.S. has strengthened hospital preparedness and bio-containment facilities to prevent domestic transmission.
• Travel bans and comprehensive responses, including rapid deployment of U.S. teams and CDC presence in the region, are part of the strategy to contain the outbreak, though travel restrictions alone are insufficient.
• Dr. Birx highlighted that recent U.S. aid cuts and withdrawal from the WHO may have impacted local Ebola preparedness and response capacity in the Congo and Uganda, but current funding levels remain substantial and active.
• The U.S. has an interagency Ebola response task force and a capable workforce despite some unconfirmed leadership positions at key health agencies, but strengthening the African CDC's early detection and response role is critical for future outbreak control.