Situation Report: International Efforts to Control the Ebola Outbreak

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Ebola Cases Continue to Rise in Uganda

The Sudan ebolavirus has continued to spread in Uganda. As of October 12, the World Health Organization (WHO) is reporting 74 confirmed and probable cases, 39 confirmed and probable deaths, and 14 people have recovered (WHO, Accessed 2024, https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-media-briefing—12-october-2022). To date there have not been any reported cases in surrounding countries.

International Response Effort

International health agencies have activated to support the Ugandan response effort to control and contain the outbreak, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the WHO. At a media briefing on October 12 (WHO, Accessed 2024, https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-media-briefing—12-october-2022), the WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that emergency funding would be directed toward the response in Uganda and to prepare neighboring countries in case the outbreak spreads. In addition, Dr. Tedros said that clinical trials for two experimental vaccines that target the Sudan ebolavirus could start in Uganda in the coming weeks, pending regulatory approval from the Ugandan government. The existing vaccines developed to prevent infection with the Zaire ebolavirus species are not effective against the Sudan ebolavirus.

Risk Assessment and Response in the United States

There are no suspected cases of Ebola in the United States, and the CDC has assessed the risk of importation into the U.S. as low. However as a precaution, airline passengers who have been in Uganda in the last 21 days will be redirected to five major U.S. airports for screening. The CDC issued a Health Advisory on October 6 (CDC, https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/2022/han00477.asp, Accessed 10/13/2022), recommending that public health departments and health care workers in the U.S. be alert for patients who present with symptoms consistent with Ebola virus disease (CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/clinicians/evaluating-patients/index.html, Accessed 10/13/2022) and have been in affected areas of Uganda. 

At a Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Call (COCA, https://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/ppt/2022/101222_slides.pdf, Accessed 2022) on October 12, the CDC shared an update on the outbreak in Uganda. The CDC and its partners are undertaking preparations in the event of a suspected case of Ebola in the United States, including coordination with the 10 Regional Special Pathogens Treatment Centers (RESPTCs) with specialized high-level isolation units equipped to care for patients with high consequence pathogens.

Special Pathogens Preparedness

Health care facilities should review their special pathogens preparedness plans and be ready to implement the identify, isolate, and inform strategy (NETEC, Accessed 2024, https://repository.netecweb.org/items/show/1509) to limit the spread of the virus, if a patient presents with symptoms consistent with Ebola and has recently traveled from Uganda. Read the blog post, “How Frontline Health Care Workers Can Prepare for an Ebola Outbreak,” for summary guidance for frontline health care workers to safely and effectively care for patients infected with Ebola.
 
For health care agencies that need support, NETEC offers free training, resources, and consultation to ensure that clinicians can safely and effectively care for patients infected with high consequence pathogens like Ebola.