Ebola outbreak in DR Congo could top 20,000 cases in worst case, CDC says

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda could lead to more than 20,000 cases and over 2,000 deaths in a worst-case scenario, according to a CDC report.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda could lead to more than 20,000 cases and over 2,000 deaths in a worst-case scenario, according to a report published Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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That scenario — modeled using data through May 24, when about 50 deaths had been reported — assumes that only 20% of Ebola patients isolate and that access to vaccines and treatments is limited, the agency said. The outbreak is caused by a rare type of Ebola called Bundibugyo that currently has no available vaccines or treatments.

Even in a more optimistic scenario, with around 70% of cases isolating, the report found that there remains about a 1 in 5 chance that the outbreak could surpass 10,000 cases within three months.