Ebola Outbreak in Congo and Uganda Could Hit 20,000
An Ebola outbreak in DR Congo has at least 397 confirmed cases. The outbreak has also spread to Uganda with 19 confirmed cases there.
This strain of Ebola has no approved vaccine or treatment. A CDC report warns of a worst-case scenario.
It projects over 20,000 cases and more than 2,000 deaths. That worst case applies if only 20% of patients stay isolated. Sources say if 70% of patients isolate the risk drops greatly.
Klear Note — Ebola is a rare virus that spreads through contact with infected blood or body fluids. It causes severe illness with high death rates. Outbreaks happen occasionally in Central Africa where the virus lives in animals.
Key Terms 5
- DR Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo, a large country in central Africa
- Ebola A deadly virus that spreads through contact with infected people
- CDC US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a public health agency
- isolate Stay away from others to stop spreading a disease
- strain A specific version of a virus, here called the Bundibugyo strain