The World Health Organization has raised the Ebola risk to its highest level in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as the outbreak continues to spread and the death toll climbs. There are now 82 confirmed cases and seven confirmed deaths, with nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths.
The outbreak is caused by the less common Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no approved vaccines or treatments exist. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the situation 'especially challenging,' noting the virus has been circulating undetected in insecure areas.
The situation in neighboring Uganda remains stable, with two confirmed cases and one death. Rwanda announced it will refuse entry to foreign nationals who have traveled through the DRC. A U.S. national working in the DRC has tested positive and been transferred to Germany for care.
Health workers are racing to track contacts and contain the spread, which the WHO says is 'not yet under control.' The agency has prioritized two monoclonal antibodies, Regeneron 3479 and Mapp Biopharmaceutical's MBP134, for clinical trials, along with the oral antiviral obeldesivir as a potential post-exposure prophylaxis.