CDC Warns Ebola Outbreak Could Reach Historic Levels Without Strong Response

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) model projections indicate that, without strong public health interventions, the ongoing Bundibugyo strain Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo could grow to a scale comparable to, or even larger than, the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic.

The CDC released three Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report documents on Friday, partly aimed at mobilizing international support, according to Dr. Satish Pillai, the agency’s Ebola response incident manager, during a briefing.

In simulated scenarios where only a small number of patients effectively isolate, the outbreak could still become one of the largest ever recorded, said Jason Asher, Director of the CDC’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics.