Health experts have warned of a possible increase in the risk of an Ebola outbreak as the World Cup approaches in the United States, due to expectations that millions of visitors from around the world will arrive to attend the tournament.
The Ebola virus is one of the most dangerous infectious viruses, with mortality rates in some strains reaching up to 90%. Those infected experience severe symptoms including fever, diarrhea, and vomiting, which can sometimes progress to internal or external bleeding.
David Dodd, CEO of vaccine developer Geovax, said the accelerating spread of the disease is raising real concerns, noting that the influx of millions of people into the United States in a short period could increase the likelihood of infected cases entering the country.
He added that the danger of the situation lies in the virus's incubation period, which can extend up to 21 days without symptoms appearing, making tracking and controlling infections more difficult from an epidemiological standpoint, warning that any outbreak within the United States could have "catastrophic" consequences.
For his part, Dr. Arthur Ringold, professor of epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley, explained that the presence of huge human gatherings at events like the World Cup increases the likelihood of infected cases arriving, even if the probabilities are low, stressing that the discovery of just one case within the United States could lead to a large-scale health response.
He noted that such a situation could raise public concern and prompt strict measures to contain the disease, including widespread contact tracing.
In contrast, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that it is working in coordination with FIFA to ensure that safety and screening procedures are in place before the tournament kicks off on June 11.
The center also announced that it had raised its travel warning for the Democratic Republic of Congo to level three, calling for a reconsideration of non-essential travel and imposing entry restrictions on some travelers who had visited affected countries during the previous 21 days.
Health data indicates that the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has seen a rapid rise in the number of deaths, with 139 deaths recorded out of approximately 600 suspected cases, according to the World Health Organization.
This is the seventeenth outbreak in the country, but only the third caused by the Bundibugyo strain, a strain for which there is still no approved vaccine, unlike the Zaire strain for which there are effective vaccines.
Regarding vaccines, experts explained that some current vaccines may provide partial protection, while others are still under development and may take months or more than a year before they are fully approved, depending on the technology used.
Experts also pointed out that developing rapid vaccines using mRNA technology may take 3 to 6 months, but it may be less flexible in the face of viral mutations, compared to other technologies that take longer.
Health experts stressed that the biggest challenge is not only developing vaccines, but also strengthening health surveillance systems, supply chains, and rapid response to any potential outbreak, warning that increasing global interdependence could make the spread of epidemics faster than ever before.
