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Where the outbreak stands
The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo a public health emergency of international concern. As of May 20, WHO reported about 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths, including health workers, and expected the count to rise because the virus spread undetected for weeks. An American surgeon tested positive on May 17, and he and six exposed Americans were flown to Germany for care and monitoring. The CDC has restricted travel from Uganda, the DRC and South Sudan.
This outbreak involves the Bundibugyo species, which has had mortality of 25% to 50% in past outbreaks. Approved Ebola vaccines and antibody treatments target the Zaire species, not this one. Ebola does not spread before symptoms appear, which makes screening and isolation effective.
What the CDC asks hospitals to do
- Screen: Ask patients with fever, fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms or unexplained bleeding about travel and exposure in the 21 days before symptoms began. The CDC suggests a travel flag in the health record.
- Isolate: Patients with both an exposure risk and compatible symptoms should be isolated and hospitalized until a test on a specimen collected at least 72 hours after onset is negative.
- Protect staff: Staff should be trained to put on and remove PPE, and recommended PPE should be on hand.
- Notify and transfer: Call the health department right away through its 24-hour line. Confirmed patients go to a regional or state-designated special pathogens treatment center.
- Keep testing: Do not delay routine labs or malaria testing for a traveler from the region.
The leadership gap to close
Experts interviewed by Becker’s said a common weakness is the distance between hospital emergency managers and the executive team. The U.S. built 13 biocontainment units after 2014, but every hospital still has to identify, isolate and hand off a suspected patient safely. Experts also pointed to large summer events, including the FIFA World Cup, as a reason to review surge plans.
A practical review covers people, places and supplies: who is trained and how staff and families will be supported, where a patient would be isolated, and whether PPE, testing and waste handling are in place. Leaders should also be ready to communicate clearly about what is known and unknown.
Archive entry for May 23, 2026, added Nov. 11, 2026.