Ebola trial starts as recalls widen
This week’s public health digest is led by the first Bundibugyo Ebola treatment trial and continued outbreak growth in DRC, with US-facing actions for travelers and clinicians. Household actions focus on Zapp’s/Dirty potato chips, Clover Hill Dairy cheeses, Nara Organics infant formula, measles vaccination checks, screwworm monitoring, and current CDC travel notices.
From June 26 at 5:31 p.m. ET through July 3 at 5:00 p.m. ET, the most serious international alert was still Bundibugyo Ebola: WHO reported 1,460 confirmed cases and 452 deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as of July 1, while Uganda remained at 20 confirmed cases and had reported no new cases since June 21. 1 The practical US-facing question is narrower than the global outbreak itself: travelers should check entry restrictions and destination notices, clinicians should keep Ebola screening pathways current, and households should act on the food recalls that have direct kitchen-level steps this week.
The clearest new development is scientific rather than domestic: WHO said patient enrollment began on July 2 in the PARTNERS trial, the first treatment trial for Bundibugyo virus disease, testing MBP134 and remdesivir with standard supportive care. 2 That does not change what US families do today, but it changes the response picture for healthcare workers and travelers watching whether the outbreak can be brought under control.
This week at a glance
| Alert | What changed | Who should act | What to do now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bundibugyo Ebola | DRC reached 1,460 confirmed cases and 452 deaths as of July 1; WHO assessed risk in DRC as very high, risk in Uganda as high, and global risk as low. 1 | Travelers, clinicians, public health teams, aid workers | Avoid nonessential travel to affected DRC provinces and follow CDC screening guidance after travel from Ebola-affected areas. 3 |
| Ebola entry restrictions | CDC guidance updated July 1 says recent travelers from affected areas may be routed through IAD, ATL, IAH, or JFK for screening and 21-day text monitoring. 3 | People traveling from DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan, plus employers moving staff | Check eligibility before travel and plan extra time for screening at the designated airport. 3 |
| Zapp's and Dirty potato chips | FDA classified the Utz Quality Foods recall as Class I on July 1; news reports identified about 650,000 bags affected because seasoning ingredients may contain Salmonella. 45 | Households with Zapp's or Dirty chips | Check recalled flavors and best-by dates, discard affected bags, or contact Utz at 1-877-423-0149 on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. 5 |
| Clover Hill Dairy soft cheese | FDA said 12 illnesses, 10 hospitalizations, and 1 death were linked to the Listeria outbreak; FDA also reported Listeria matching the outbreak strain in 6 cheese samples and 2 environmental samples. 6 | Consumers in affected distribution states, especially pregnant people, older adults, and immunocompromised people | Discard Clover Hill Dairy cheese and related requeson products, then clean surfaces and containers that touched the cheese. 6 |
| Measles | CDC reported 2,170 US measles cases in 2026 as of July 2, including 31 outbreaks and 93% outbreak-associated cases. 7 | Families, schools, clinicians, and travelers | Check MMR vaccination status before travel, camp, and school planning. 7 |
Ebola: treatment trial begins while spread continues
WHO's July 3 disease update shows why Ebola remains the lead item. DRC had 1,460 confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease cases, 452 deaths, and 213 recoveries as of July 1, with cases reported across 36 health zones in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. 1 Ituri accounted for 1,333 of the 1,460 confirmed DRC cases, and WHO said 21 health zones remained active. 1
The outbreak is still widening geographically. WHO said three confirmed cases with travel history from Ituri's Nia Nia health zone were reported on June 30 in Wamba health zone in Haut-Uele Province and in Kisangani in Tshopo Province. 1 BBC reported that DRC authorities banned public gatherings in Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele, Tshopo, and Kinshasa after the spread into new areas. 8
Uganda is in a different phase. WHO reported 20 confirmed cases, 2 confirmed deaths, 1 probable death, and 16 recoveries in Uganda as of July 2, with no new cases since June 21 and no documented community transmission. 1 South Sudan had no confirmed cases as of July 1, according to the International Medical Corps situation report. 9
The PARTNERS trial matters because Africa CDC said no licensed vaccine or treatment exists for the Bundibugyo strain. 10 WHO said the trial is a four-arm randomized controlled study in which all patients receive supportive care and are randomized to MBP134, remdesivir, both drugs, or neither drug. 2 CIDRAP reported that WHO's Vasee Moorthy said the trial could take months, could extend into next year, and could need 1,000 enrolled patients for a definitive answer. 11
The response is also under pressure outside the lab. Africa CDC warned on June 30 that Bundibugyo clinical trials were at risk without $18 million in immediate financing, while the broader Ebola response needed $1.4 billion and had received disbursement of only 13% of required funding. 10 CIDRAP reported that an Ebola treatment center in Ituri was attacked during the week of June 30, leaving 2 people dead and causing patients to flee. 11
For US travelers, the actionable guidance is unchanged but still important. CDC says travelers returning from Ebola-affected areas may receive a temperature check, travel-history questionnaire, symptom observation, and enrollment in automated 21-day text monitoring. 3 CDC also says travelers without symptoms can continue to their final destination after screening, while symptomatic travelers may receive additional evaluation and hospital isolation. 3
Food and product alerts: check the pantry and fridge
| Product or issue | How to identify it | Risk and status | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapp's and Dirty potato chips | Recalled varieties include Zapp's Bayou Blackened Ranch, Zapp's Salt & Vinegar, Zapp's Big Cheezy, Dirty Salt & Vinegar, Dirty Maui Onion, and Dirty Sour Cream & Onion, with best-by dates in July and August 2026. 45 | FDA elevated the recall to Class I because dried milk powder in seasoning may contain Salmonella; Utz said affected seasoning batches tested negative before use and no other Utz products were affected. 5 | Do not eat affected bags; discard them or contact Utz customer service at 1-877-423-0149 for refund information. 5 |
| Clover Hill Dairy cheese and related requeson | FDA identified Clover Hill Dairy products and related brands including KESSO, QUESOS LA RICURA, IZALCO, DE MI PUEBLO, and RIO LINDO; consumers can check for Clover Hill Dairy permit number 24-128. 6 | The outbreak has 12 cases in Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Virginia, with 10 hospitalizations and 1 death; FDA matched the outbreak strain in product and environmental samples. 6 | Do not eat these cheeses; throw them away and clean refrigerators, containers, and surfaces that touched them. 6 |
| Nara Organics infant formula | Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Powdered Infant Formula was sold through Target stores nationwide and the Nara Organics website from July 2025 through June 2026. 12 | FDA's June 26 update kept the investigation at 3 confirmed infant botulism cases, with no new cases reported and testing still underway. 12 | Do not use the recalled formula; discard it and seek urgent care for poor feeding, weak cry, constipation, limpness, or breathing problems in an infant after possible exposure. 12 |
| FW Farms raw honey Dijon chicken breast | USDA FSIS issued a June 26 public health alert for FW Farms raw honey Dijon boneless chicken breast produced on June 2. 13 | FSIS classified the alert as Class I because the product had misbranding and an undeclared egg allergen; FSIS did not request a recall because the product was no longer available for sale. 13 | People with egg allergy should not eat the product if it was frozen after purchase. 13 |
Cyclospora is a monitoring item rather than a single-product action this week. CDC reported 145 domestically acquired cyclosporiasis cases across 17 states, 20 hospitalizations, and no deaths as of the June 16 data cutoff, and CDC said there was no evidence of one multistate outbreak linking all cases. 14 People with watery diarrhea lasting more than several days should contact a clinician and ask whether Cyclospora testing is appropriate. 14
Measles, screwworm, and clinical surveillance
CDC's measles count is still climbing toward last year's high mark. CDC reported 2,170 confirmed US cases in 2026 as of July 2, up from 2,134 on June 25, and 2,019 of the 2,170 cases were outbreak-associated. 7 The 2025 full-year count was 2,289 cases, so the 2026 count was 119 cases below that total as of July 2. 7
The household action is straightforward: check measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination records before summer travel, camp, or school planning. CDC reported that kindergarten MMR coverage fell from 95.2% in the 2019-2020 school year to 92.5% in the 2024-2025 school year, leaving about 286,000 kindergartners at risk. 7
New World screwworm remains mainly an animal-health issue for US households, farms, and veterinarians. BEACON reported 31 confirmed animal cases in the US as of July 1, including the first confirmed dog case in Texas. 15 CDC says New World screwworm larvae infest wounds in warm-blooded animals and can rarely affect people. 16 Pet owners, livestock owners, and veterinarians in affected areas should inspect wounds and report suspected cases quickly. 17
Several CDC MMWR items are more relevant to clinicians than to immediate household behavior. CDC MMWR reported alpha-gal immunoglobulin E seroprevalence of 24.0% across five high-rate southern states in residual blood donor samples collected from November 2024 through April 2025, but the authors said providers should test only patients with compatible symptoms. 18 CDC MMWR also reported that Candida auris clinical cases rose from 2,882 in 2022 to 6,197 in 2024, supporting continued infection-prevention attention in healthcare settings. 19
Travel notices to check before departure
CDC Travelers' Health added a Level 1 travel notice for diphtheria in Haiti on June 25 and kept the global dengue Level 1 notice updated with countries including Colombia, Samoa, Mali, Vietnam, New Caledonia, Timor-Leste, Guyana, Maldives, Bolivia, Tonga, and Cambodia. 20 Active higher-priority notices include Level 3 for Bundibugyo virus disease in affected DRC provinces, Level 2 for malaria in Yemen, Level 2 for chikungunya in French Guiana, and Level 2 for malaria in Mayotte. 20
For families and travelers, the practical step is to check the CDC destination page twice: once before booking and again shortly before departure. 20 For clinicians, the main watch items are compatible fever or rash after travel, possible Ebola exposure after travel from affected areas, and diarrheal illness compatible with Cyclospora during the May 1-August 31 US season. 314
Cover image: map from CDC Ebola Outbreak Current Situation.
References
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- 17USDA APHIS: Current Status of New World Screwworm
aphis.usda.gov
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- 20CDC Travelers' Health: Travel Health Notices
wwwnc.cdc.gov
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