Article
Where the outbreak stands
At a June 24 briefing, the World Health Organization reported 1,094 confirmed cases and 277 deaths in Congo, with nearly 80 health workers infected. Uganda had 20 confirmed cases linked to the outbreak, and an aid worker who had treated a patient in Congo tested positive after returning to France.
The outbreak is caused by Bundibugyo virus, a species for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments. Reporting this week described it as the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record, and officials said contact tracing was reaching only a fraction of known contacts. The WHO said the epidemic was spreading faster than the response, although treatment beds and lab capacity in Congo had expanded sharply. A trial of two antivirals, MBP134 and remdesivir, was expected to begin shortly.
In Washington, the administration asked Congress for $1.4 billion for the Ebola response as part of a larger supplemental funding request.
Why U.S. hospitals should prepare now
The likelihood of a case reaching a U.S. emergency department remains low. But the infected aid worker in France shows how travel by responders can carry the virus to high-income countries. With no vaccine for this strain, early recognition and isolation are the main protections for staff and other patients.
Readiness built during the 2014 West Africa outbreak has faded at many organizations through staff turnover and competing priorities. Now is a low-cost moment to refresh it.
A short readiness check
- Front-door screening. Confirm that triage asks about travel to affected countries within 21 days and that the question is built into registration workflows.
- Isolation and notification. Make sure every site knows where to isolate a suspected patient and whom to call at the health department.
- Protective equipment and training. Check stock of appropriate gear and run donning and doffing drills with emergency, lab and environmental services staff.
- Lab and waste handling. Review specimen protocols and waste plans with your laboratory leaders and vendors.
- Regional coordination. Know which nearby facility is designated to treat confirmed cases and how transfers would work.
- Communications. Prepare staff and public messaging so a single suspected case does not set off confusion.
Archive entry for Jun 28, 2026, added Nov. 11, 2026.