*The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is unfolding in increasingly unstable conditions, as health workers contend with both a spreading virus and repeated attacks on treatment facilities, NBC News reports.
In the northeastern province of Ituri, where the outbreak first emerged, hospitals have been targeted multiple times, leading to disruptions in care. In one incident, more than two dozen people fled after violence broke out at a treatment site, further complicating efforts to contain the virus.
The crisis has raised growing concern among health authorities as infections continue to spread beyond the original epicenter. Cases have now been confirmed in North and South Kivu, while officials also report cross-border transmission into Uganda, signaling a widening regional threat.
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The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern due to its severity and the challenges facing response teams. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there have been more than 900 suspected cases and 101 confirmed infections, along with 220 suspected deaths.
As international health agencies work to contain the outbreak, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is supporting response efforts in both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Through its country offices, the agency is assisting with disease surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, virus sequencing, infection prevention measures, border screening, and community outreach in affected areas.
The CDC said it is also providing personal protective equipment and other infection-control supplies while coordinating with international partners and local health authorities. In addition, the agency is working with other U.S. government entities and international organizations to transport an American who tested positive for Ebola on May 17, along with other Americans considered at high risk, out of the DRC for medical care.
Meanwhile, violence at treatment sites continues to hinder containment efforts. At Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital, patients fled after isolation tents set up by Médecins Sans Frontières were burned during an attack. Laboratory results later confirmed that one escapee was Ebola-positive. The same hospital was later hit by another wave of unrest, forcing more patients to flee. One critically ill person reportedly died while trying to escape.
Health officials say mistrust, misinformation, and disputes over burial practices continue to fuel resistance in some communities. Ebola remains highly infectious after death, making unsafe burial practices a significant driver of transmission.
The CDC has also implemented measures in the United States aimed at preventing the virus from entering the country. Those efforts include travel health notices for the DRC and Uganda, enhanced screening and monitoring of travelers arriving from affected countries, and increased coordination with airlines and port-of-entry officials. The agency said it is also strengthening contact tracing capabilities, laboratory testing capacity, and hospital preparedness nationwide while continuing to deploy personnel to support containment efforts abroad.
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