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Ebola outbreak in DR Congo and Uganda reaches 739 cases, hospital attacked

scienceMay 22, 202628169

The Ebola outbreak spanning eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda has reached 739 suspected and confirmed cases and killed 168 people. In South Kivu province, grieving relatives set tents at Rwampara hospital on fire after health teams prevented them from taking a suspected Ebola victim for burial, disrupting treatment and containment operations. Uganda suspended flights to and from the DRC to try to prevent cross-border spread, and the United States began enhanced airport screening for travelers from the region. Community violence, cross-border movement and tightened international screening increase the risk of wider spread and complicate vaccination, contact tracing and treatment delivery.

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