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.
12 Articles
12 Articles
An inside look at the US’s Ebola screenings
Click in for more news from The Hill {beacon} Health Care Health Care The Big Story An inside look at the US’s Ebola screenings The Hill’s Laura Kelly traveled to Uganda to document the on-the-ground situation surrounding the Ebola outbreak in the country. While federal authorities say they’ve launched enhanced screening procedures at certain...
RFK Jr.'s CDC Turns to Unpaid Airport Volunteers for Ebola Screening After Gutting Its Trained Workforce
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued an urgent internal call for volunteer screeners at major US airports as the worst Ebola outbreak in years spirals toward 1,000 cases and threatens to reach American soil. Acting director Jay Bhattacharya sent the appeal to CDC staff on 27 May 2026, asking them to deploy voluntarily to three designated airports for Ebola screening duties. The request landed after a sustained campaign…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
