The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a 'very high' risk. This assessment was made public on Friday, coinciding with the announcement of 82 confirmed cases and seven confirmed deaths linked to the outbreak. Additionally, there are nearly 750 suspected cases and over 170 suspected deaths.
The Red Cross reported that three of its workers died this month after contracting Ebola while managing deceased individuals in late March. The outbreak is attributed to the Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain, which is highly contagious through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals.
While the risk level for the Congo is categorized as very high, the WHO maintains that the regional risk is high and the global risk is low. In response to the outbreak, U.S. officials are urging the Congolese soccer team to self-isolate in Belgium for three weeks before traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup, which is set to take place from June 11 to July 19.
Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, emphasized the importance of maintaining a 'bubble' to prevent the spread of the virus. He stated that failure to adhere to these guidelines could jeopardize the team's ability to travel to the U.S. for the tournament. The Congolese team is scheduled to train in Belgium before competing against Denmark on June 3 and Chile on June 9, followed by matches in the U.S. against Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan later in June.