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CDC Asks Staff to Volunteer to Help with Ebola Screenings at Airports Amid DRC Outbreak
The agency says the outbreak has outpaced response efforts and is expanding recruitment beyond its usual emergency responder pool as screening ramps up.
Acting CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya sent an urgent appeal Wednesday asking staff to volunteer for Ebola screening at three airports: Washington Dulles, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, and George Bush Intercontinental Houston.
The International Rescue Committee warned Tuesday the outbreak risks becoming 'the deadliest on record' without urgent action, as over 900 suspected cases and at least 223 deaths now spread into major cities like Goma and Kampala.
Bundibugyo virus, the 17th confirmed Ebola epidemic in the DRC, carries case fatality rates between 25 and 50 percent with no approved vaccine; standard tests 'struggle' to detect this rare strain, which may have spread undetected for weeks.
Volunteers will observe passengers for illness, check temperatures, and refer suspected cases for assessment, with screening active since May 20 at Dulles and May 22 at Atlanta; the Trump administration expanded travel restrictions Friday to bar green card holders.
Atlanta prepares to host FIFA World Cup matches next month, including a DRC team game June 27, as the agency now screens for one of the world's deadliest pathogens using volunteers after losing its permanent Senate-confirmed director.