CDC expands Ebola screeningCDC expands Ebola screening as outbreak intensifies in Congo and Uganda
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is seeking staff volunteers for Ebola screening at domestic airports as an outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain spreads in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
The agency activated a Level 2 emergency response on May 18 and is widening its recruitment beyond its usual emergency team. The move matters because the outbreak has crossed borders and health officials are trying to limit further international spread.
US public health response
The CDC is treating the outbreak as a growing international health risk and is asking more employees to help with screening duties. Officials are using airport checks and emergency staffing to increase the chance of spotting possible cases early.
Outbreak affected countries
Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda are facing a cross-border Ebola response as the virus spreads in the region. The focus is on containing transmission locally while reducing the chance of export to other countries.
- Ebola was first identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Airport screening is usually aimed at finding symptomatic travelers, not detecting every infection.
- Bundibugyo is also the name of a district in western Uganda.
