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Infectious disease experts say the chance of an Ebola-infected traveler reaching the 2026 World Cup host cities is low, but the US health system has significantly improved its response capacity since the 2014 outbreak. Dr. Tom Frieden, former CDC director, described the risk as 'extremely low' but not zero. Hundreds of millions in funding and specialized centers now stand ready.
Kenyan police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Nanyuki opposing a US-built quarantine center for American citizens exposed to Ebola, despite a court order halting the project. The 50-bed facility within an airbase has sparked local anger over perceived health risks. Last week's protests turned violent, leaving two dead.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised Uganda for its swift and effective response to the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. He called on Uganda to reopen its border with the DR Congo, saying restrictions cause economic harm without helping containment. The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, has so far infected over 540 people in the DR Congo and 19 in Uganda.
WHO said the Ebola outbreak in the DRC may have started in January, giving the virus a head start. Director-General Tedros noted 344 confirmed cases and 60 deaths in the DRC, plus 15 cases and 1 death in Uganda. He urged lifting travel bans and improving contact tracing to control the disease.
Hundreds of protesters in Nanyuki, central Kenya, marched Monday against plans to set up an Ebola quarantine center for US citizens at Laikipia Air Base. The protest came after Kenya's High Court suspended the facility's establishment, pending a lawsuit citing the country's weak healthcare system. Local officials and Governor Joshua Irungu have voiced strong opposition, fearing exposure to the virus.
The US, Mexico, and Canada have announced joint health measures for travelers from high-risk Ebola regions ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The move follows the WHO's declaration of a global health emergency over the outbreak in the DRC. Each country has implemented specific travel restrictions and quarantine requirements.
The Trump administration is building an Ebola isolation and treatment center in Kenya for U.S. citizens affected by the outbreak, rather than repatriating them. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from public health experts who say it may discourage reporting and volunteering.
Residents in a town in eastern DR Congo set fire to an Ebola treatment center, highlighting challenges in the outbreak response. The incident followed authorities' refusal to return the body of a suspected Ebola patient to the family. Local authorities said it reflects a conflict between public health measures and local burial customs.
India and the African Union have postponed the India-Africa Summit due to the escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has now spread into M23-controlled South Kivu. The decision aims to ensure full participation of African leaders amid the health emergency. The M23 has confirmed its first Ebola case, complicating containment efforts in a conflict-hit region.
