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US CDC says measles cases rise to 4,588 as outbreak continues

Updated 9:07 PM ET · 8:20 PM ETConfirmed

Health Desk

In Short: The World Health Organization (WHO) advised all countries in the region to sustain a high level of readiness as the DRC outbreak continues to evolve, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Health officials in Kenya confirmed the country's first Ebola case on Tuesday, raising the total number of confirmed cases to nine, according to Ntvkenya (Kenya).

The outbreak, which began in Congo in May, has since infected more than 9,500 people and killed nearly half of them, making it the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak in history, as reported by The Guardian.

African health ministers were invited to an 'extraordinary virtual meeting' to discuss the spread of Ebola after Nigeria reported its first case, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Dr. Jean Kaseya, the director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control, warned on X that the outbreak poses an 'extremely serious threat' with a fatality rate of nearly 50%, as reported by The Guardian.

Ntvkenya (Kenya) reported that Kenya has been on heightened alert due to the major Ebola outbreak centered in Congo, which has spread across borders in the region.

The Los Angeles Times noted that Uganda, which declared itself Ebola-free in July after recording 20 cases, has denied claims that Nigeria’s first case originated there.

Both Ntvkenya (Kenya) and Al Jazeera (Qatar) reported that the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is aware of and closely monitoring a suspected pneumonic plague outbreak in Russia.

While the exact origins of Nigeria's first case remain unclear, health officials are tracing all contacts the individual may have had, according to The Guardian.

The outbreak has claimed almost 4,000 deaths and infected 8,224 people so far, according to Healthpolicy-Watch.

Both Ntvkenya (Kenya) and Al Jazeera (Qatar) agree that the Ebola outbreak is spreading rapidly across borders, prompting heightened alerts and emergency meetings.

The WHO and African health ministers are working to strengthen the collective response to the outbreak, as reported by both outlets.

The primary agreement is that the Ebola outbreak is a serious threat, with a high fatality rate, and requires immediate and coordinated action across borders.

What this adds

Background

What's confirmed

• Health officials in Kenya confirmed the country's first Ebola case on Tuesday, raising the total number of confirmed cases to nine, according to Ntvkenya (Kenya).
• The outbreak, which began in Congo in May, has since infected more than 9,500 people and killed nearly half of them, making it the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak in history, as reported by The Guardian.
• African health ministers were invited to an 'extraordinary virtual meeting' to discuss the spread of Ebola after Nigeria reported its first case, the Los Angeles Times reported.
• Dr. Jean Kaseya, the director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control, warned on X that the outbreak poses an 'extremely serious threat' with a fatality rate of nearly 50%, as reported by The Guardian.
• Ntvkenya (Kenya) reported that Kenya has been on heightened alert due to the major Ebola outbreak centered in Congo, which has spread across borders in the region.
• The Los Angeles Times noted that Uganda, which declared itself Ebola-free in July after recording 20 cases, has denied claims that Nigeria’s first case originated there.
• Both Ntvkenya (Kenya) and Al Jazeera (Qatar) reported that the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is aware of and closely monitoring a suspected pneumonic plague outbreak in Russia.
• While the exact origins of Nigeria's first case remain unclear, health officials are tracing all contacts the individual may have had, according to The Guardian.
• The outbreak has claimed almost 4,000 deaths and infected 8,224 people so far, according to Healthpolicy-Watch.
• Both Ntvkenya (Kenya) and Al Jazeera (Qatar) agree that the Ebola outbreak is spreading rapidly across borders, prompting heightened alerts and emergency meetings.
• The WHO and African health ministers are working to strengthen the collective response to the outbreak, as reported by both outlets.
• The primary agreement is that the Ebola outbreak is a serious threat, with a high fatality rate, and requires immediate and coordinated action across borders.

What's still developing

• The WHO said on Wednesday that it had advised “all countries in the region to sustain a high level of readiness as the DRC outbreak continues to evolve.” In parts of Congo, including North Kivu, health authorities say the disease is out of control, with most recorded deaths occurring in the community and contact tracing struggling to keep pace with the virus’ spread.
• “We are doing everything possible to contain this case by tracing all the contacts the individual may have had,” he said.
• Tuesday, October 20, 2026 · 9:04 PM ET Updated 9:04 PM ET · 8:11 PM ET Confirmed In Short: Pennsylvania's health department issued a health alert warning of an increase in measles cases among pregnant individuals and the subsequent rise in congenital measles cases, which have not been seen in decades.
• As of October 19, Pennsylvania had reported 1,286 measles cases this year across 42 counties, according to Ars Technica.
• Bangladesh, whose routine vaccination program faltered in 2025, has reported 202,000 suspected measles cases — 22,000 of them laboratory-confirmed — from the start of the outbreak in mid-March to Oct. 9, the World Health Organization said.
• “There is a gap,” prime ministerial adviser Hyder told Reuters on Sept. 14, as measles cases rose again, blaming vaccine hesitancy by parents or child illnesses for keeping children away.
• But Leo told the young people present, "You are the saints of France!"
• 26) with new Catholics and people preparing to enter the church, Leo said that the rise of converts in France, a country "far surpasses statistical and sociological analysis" and "contradicts every defeatist attitude" about the future of the church.
• “Rwanda-backed M23 is committing horrific human rights abuses, which may amount to war crimes, against artisanal miners in eastern DRC,” said Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General at the launch of the report.
• Doctors found strange nodules growing on their lungs, and several people died as cases mounted over the next few years.
• In other words, humans don’t yet have to worry about getting zombified by fungi as in the fictional apocalyptic world of The Last Of Us, but fungi are becoming an increasingly real threat. ( Could a parasitic fungus evolve to control humans? ) In 2019, Casadevall, now a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins University, found that a newly discovered species called Candida auris had emerged on three continents simultaneously as a deadly drug-resistant human pathogen, the first to “break through” thanks to climate change and adapt to higher environmental (and thus, mammalian) body temperatures.
• “Reconsider travel to Kenya due to risk of health, crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest, and traffic safety. Some areas have increased risk,” the State Department said on Monday, raising the advisory to level 3 that asks Americans to reconsider travel, from an earlier level 2 that urges increased caution.

Sources

• Los Angeles Timeslink
• The Guardianlink
• Warpbeatlink
• NBC Newslink
• Ncronlinelink
• Healthpolicy-Watchlink
• Nationalgeographiclink
• Ntvkenyalink
• Fxstreetlink
• Abcnewslink
• Al Jazeeralink
• Timelink
• Nbcphiladelphialink
• Radiotimeslink
• Newspressnowlink
• WarpBeat — background on Pennsylvania Reports Rise in Measles Cases During Pregnancy link
• Fox News Clips — video link