Former CDC director warns Ebola could be ‘very significant pandemic’ 

Former CDC director warns Ebola could be ‘very significant pandemic’ 

Robert Redfield, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the first Trump administration, warned that the Ebola outbreak in Africa could become a “significant pandemic.” 

© Michel Lunanga, Getty Images

Last week, the World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreak occurring primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda to be a public health emergency of international concern, with more than 500 suspected cases reported from the two countries. 

“I suspect this is going to become a very significant pandemic, probably going to leak into Tanzania, leak into southern Sudan, maybe leak into Rwanda,” Redfield said during an appearance on NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.”  

“This is an outbreak right now that is really a significant outbreak that’s of significant public health international concern, partially because what you said, it wasn’t recognized very quickly. I’m not sure why,” he added. 

The Bundibugyo Ebola virus behind the current outbreak is highly contagious but is not airborne. It spreads through body fluids and contaminated objects. 

One American worker reportedly came in contact with the virus while working in Congo and was transported to Germany for treatment. 

On Thursday, the State Department issued a travel advisory requiring that all U.S.-bound American citizens and lawful permanent residents who have been in Congo, Uganda or South Sudan within 21 days of arrival in the U.S. go through “enhanced public health screening” carried out........

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