Should Americans worry about Ebola? What to know about the latest outbreak

The Ebola outbreak in Congo’s Ituri province has caused 88 deaths and over 300 suspected cases, with at least six Americans exposed to the highly contagious disease.One of these US patients is experiencing symptoms, according to media reports.Global alarm has been building since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern on Saturday.The CDC reports no outbreak-related cases in the US and that the “overall risk to the American public and travelers remains low.”The agency and DHS notably implemented travel health notices for Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday to prevent the disease from entering the US.Here’s everything Americans need to know about the ongoing international Ebola crisis as it unfolds.Ebola is a rare but severe and often fatal disease caused by a group of viruses called orthoebolaviruses.Four types of viruses can lead to the disease:Public health officials have linked the current outbreak to the Bundibugyo virus, which has death rates ranging from 25% to 50%.In previous outbreaks in the Congo, including the 2018 to 2020 outbreak, the Ebola Zaire strain was prominent, killing more than 1,000 people in the eastern region.African fruit bats are thought to be the source of the Ebola virus and can spread the virus to other animals through contact with body fluids or items contaminated by fluids.Although rare, if a spillover event occurs — when an infected animal spreads the virus to a person — humans can transmit the disease to other people.This transmission happens when broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose or mouth come into contact with blood, bodily fluids or objects contaminated with infected fluids.People can also get the disease if they come into contact with an infected animal, primarily bats, primates or forest antelopes.Semen from men who recovered from Ebola can also transmit the disease; however, there’s no evidence that the virus spreads from c...