Ebola Outbreak in Congo Tops 9,000 Cases as US Keeps Travel Limits

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has passed 9,000 confirmed cases. Congo's health ministry reported 9,066 cases and 4,381 deaths as of Tuesday, October 13, according to the Associated Press. The CDC's situation summary, with data through October 10, counts about 9,000 cases and 4,339 deaths across the region. Both counts are expected to keep climbing.

The outbreak was announced in mid-May, though some experts suspect it began as early as February. It has spread to seven provinces in northern and eastern Congo, including Ituri, Nord-Kivu and Tshopo. Uganda recorded 20 cases earlier this year and was declared Ebola-free in August. Kenya confirmed its first case on October 7. The patient had traveled from Congo through Uganda to Nairobi, where he died.

This outbreak is the Bundibugyo species of Ebola. The Zaire species behind the 2014 West Africa epidemic has a licensed vaccine. Bundibugyo has no licensed vaccine or approved treatment. Health workers in Congo have been offered the Zaire vaccine since September 19 while a trial tests whether it protects against this strain. Containment is also struggling for reasons outside medicine. Health officials describe deep community mistrust of responders. Fighting between the M23 rebel group and government forces makes it hard to move supplies into remote areas. The World Health Organization has warned the outbreak could eventually surpass the West Africa epidemic.

For American households, the CDC rates the risk as low. No US cases have been linked to this outbreak. Travelers who were in Congo within the past 21 days cannot board commercial flights to the US. US citizens there must wait outside Congo for 21 days before entering. Travelers coming from Uganda or South Sudan fly into designated airports for enhanced screening and are asked to monitor their health for 21 days. If anyone in your family plans travel to East or Central Africa, check the CDC travel notices before you book.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of a sick person. It does not travel through the air the way flu or measles does, which is a large part of why the US risk stays low. Knowing the difference between an outbreak and an epidemic helps you read headlines like this one calmly. The same few preps cover most health related threats, from a hard flu season to something rarer. Keep a stocked home medical kit, a food stockpile that covers at least two weeks, and a plan for caring for a sick family member at home.

Where it stands now: the outbreak is still expanding, a vaccine trial for this strain is being prepared, and US travel rules remain in place. Tonight, check that your medical kit is stocked and that anyone traveling abroad knows the current CDC guidance. Be Prepared Not Scared!