The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is monitoring Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Uganda while offering technical assistance to both national governments, Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya said on Friday.
Bhattacharya told reporters that the CDC has long-developed capabilities in responding to Ebola and is applying that expertise in cooperation with local authorities. "CDC has extensive experience and expertise in responding to Ebola outbreaks, and we are working closely with the DRC Ministry of Health through our country office to support our response efforts," he said.
Officials received confirmation on Friday morning from the Government of Uganda of an Ebola outbreak there. In response, the CDC is coordinating with its Uganda country office and local partners to monitor developments and to assist with the outbreak response, Bhattacharya said during a media call.
The agency emphasized that it is operating through its existing country offices in both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda to align its support with the efforts of local health authorities. Beyond confirming that technical assistance and coordination are underway, the CDC's comments did not provide additional operational details about the scale or specific measures being deployed.
The information available from the agency indicates a focus on monitoring the epidemiological situation and supporting national ministries of health via in-country CDC teams. The extent and duration of the agency's involvement will depend on developments on the ground and further communications with the governments and local health partners.
Clear summary
The CDC is actively monitoring Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda and is providing technical assistance through its country offices, coordinating with local health authorities as it tracks and supports response efforts.