Experts agree on the dangers of the ebola breakout: “We are at greater risk because the CDC is undermined”

The Ebola outbreak spreading through the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda has triggered an unusually blunt warning from former CDC leaders: the world may be facing a dangerous crisis with fewer defenses than before.

Former CDC director Robert Redfield said he fears the outbreak could become “a very significant pandemic,” warning that it may spread into Tanzania, South Sudan and Rwanda. His concern is not just the number of cases, but how late the outbreak appears to have been detected.

Ebola outbreak raises alarm after late detection

“Normally when we have these Ebola outbreaks, normally we recognize them when we have five, 10 cases, at most,” Redfield said on NewsNation’s ‘Elizabeth Vargas Reports’. “This one really wasn’t picked up until there was over 100 cases.”

CDC figures cited in recent health alerts listed hundreds of suspected and probable cases, while WHO has warned that the Bundibugyo strain involved has no approved vaccine or specific treatment. WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on May 17, 2026.

That is what makes the cuts to global health systems so alarming, according to Dr. Vin Gupta. He said US agencies, USAID, PEPFAR and the military historically worked together in outbreaks, bringing logistics, testing and command support. “That’s what’s missing here,” he said to MS NOW’s Antonia Hylton, adding that there are not enough diagnostic tests in eastern Congo.

Experts warn CDC cuts could increase US risk

Former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden was even more direct, warning that cuts to the CDC and the US withdrawal from the WHO leave America more vulnerable.

“We are at greater risk because the CDC is undermined,” Frieden said on ABC News.

The fear is simple: outbreaks that are not stopped early do not stay local for long. CDC said no related Ebola cases had been reported in the United States as of May 25, but enhanced screening has already been ordered for certain travelers arriving from affected countries.

For experts, that is the uncomfortable lesson. Fighting Ebola in Congo or Uganda is not charity work. It is front-line defense. As Gupta put it, “public health is diplomacy with tangible results.”

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