The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised its Ebola response to a Level One activation, the agency’s highest response level, as cases climb rapidly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, according to agency officials speaking during a media briefing. Dr. Satish Pillai, incident manager for the CDC’s Ebola response, stated that the outbreak has recorded more than 1,100 confirmed cases, making it the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the DRC and the third-largest globally.
Understanding the Level One Activation Status
According to Dr. Pillai, a Level One activation serves as an internal signal that the agency is prioritizing the emergency at the highest level, allowing the CDC to mobilize staffing and resources efficiently. Approximately 100 CDC staff members are currently deployed both domestically and internationally. This includes 24 permanent personnel stationed in the DRC and nearly 100 in Uganda, supplemented by over a dozen deployers sent to assist with data analysis, laboratory support, and airport exit screening.
The escalation follows modeling published by the agency indicating that rapid public health interventions are necessary to prevent the outbreak from surpassing the scale of the 2014–2016 West Africa outbreak and the 2018–2020 North Kivu outbreak in the DRC. The White House and federal partners have supported these efforts by accessing more than $100 million from the infectious disease rapid response readiness fund, according to federal budget disclosures noted during the briefing.
Domestic Preparedness and Risk to the United States
Despite the international escalation, federal health officials emphasize that the risk of Ebola spreading within the United States remains low. Dr. Kevin Chatham-Stephens, deputy incident manager for domestic preparedness, stated that the U.S. healthcare system possesses robust capabilities to contain and control viral hemorrhagic fevers, building on preparedness frameworks established during prior international outbreaks.
To maintain readiness, the CDC has updated traveler assessment guidance, released checklists for state and local health departments, and conducted extensive outreach. According to Dr. Chatham-Stephens, more than 6,000 clinicians participated in a recent Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) call focused on diagnosing and managing suspected Ebola cases. Laboratory testing capacity is supported nationally through the CDC and the Laboratory Response Network.
International Response and Therapeutics
International response efforts focus on breaking transmission chains through active case finding, contact tracing, safe burials, and infection control. Because U.S. government personnel face deployment restrictions in certain areas of the DRC, the CDC works extensively through local implementing partners. Dr. Pillai noted that the agency has trained nearly 1,000 field epidemiologists in the DRC, creating a vital frontline workforce.
Regarding medical countermeasures, the federal government coordinates closely with the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). Dr. Pillai stated that health authorities are working with Ministry of Health colleagues in affected nations to evaluate medical countermeasures, including monoclonal antibodies and diagnostic tests, through rigorous clinical trial designs aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality.