Overview

• The CDC released a new health advisory to U.S. clinicians on the Democratic Republic of Congo outbreak, citing 37 confirmed cases and 19 deaths as of September 18.
• The agency also posted a September 8 travel health notice for affected health zones, urging travelers to avoid contact with ill people and to self-monitor for 21 days after departure.
• WHO reports that an initial 400 doses of the Ervebo vaccine have been sent to an outbreak hotspot for ring vaccination, with additional doses expected.
• No suspected, probable or confirmed cases linked to this outbreak have been detected outside Congo, and U.S. officials assess the current risk of spread to the United States as low.
• Experts emphasize person-to-person transmission via blood or body fluids, note isolation and supportive care as critical, and point to FDA-approved monoclonal antibody treatments that face access constraints in outbreak settings.