CDC raises its response to Ebola outbreak to the highest threat level

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that it is raising its response to the Ebola outbreak to the highest level possible as the disease continues to spread in Africa.

More than 1,100 people across Congo and Uganda have tested positive for Ebola since May, and at least 250 people have died from the virus. Officials expect both numbers to grow.

“Elevating the response level reflects the urgency, scale, and complexity of the outbreak, and allows CDC to bring additional resources to support the coordination and operational needs of our response,” Satish Pillai, the CDC’s Ebola response incidence manager, told reporters, according to The Hill.

Pillai emphasized there is no immediate concern for the United States, but that experts are concerned about the "trajectory of cases, which are rising rapidly, as well as the continued geographic spread."

The manager also said that raising the response to level one means that the agency is making its response a top priority. The CDC's Ebola response team has more than 100 employees stationed domestically and globally and the Trump administration has asked for more funding to help respond to the African crisis.

It also comes after the U.S. imposed travel restrictions on non-U.S. citizens — including lawful permanent residents — who were recently in Congo, South Sudan or Uganda, which will be in place through July 21.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.