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Rare Ebola Strain Spreads Faster Than Response Capacity in Eastern Congo

A previously undetected Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain has killed at least 87 people across northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organization declared Sunday as a public health emergency of international concern. The rare variant circulated undetected for several weeks in conflict-affected regions where health system capacity is severely constrained. Contact tracing operations are falling critically behind disease spread, with responders managing to follow up with only about one in five identified contacts daily. The strain has no approved vaccine or treatment, complicating containment efforts. Early detection is further hampered by the difficulty of distinguishing Ebola from endemic diseases such as malaria and typhoid. U.S. authorities are coordinating evacuation of American nationals from affected areas as the outbreak expands into neighboring Uganda.