Dr. Anne Rimoin

Professor, Epidemiology. Gordon-Levin Endowed Chair in Infectious Diseases & Public Heath @UCLAFSPH. Director/Founder #UCLADRC @UCLA_CGIH Insta etc: @annerimoin

[Dr. Anne Rimoin @arimoin]

I am so honored to be named the Gordon–Levin Endowed Chair in Infectious Diseases and Public Health at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health @UCLAFSPH . Thank you Tom Gordon for your support and recognition of the importance of public health research.

[UCLA Fielding School of Public Health @UCLAFSPH]

Dr. @arimoin, internationally recognized expert on emerging infections, global health & infectious diseases, has been appointed to the new Gordon-Levin Endowed Chair in Infectious Diseases and Public Health at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. https://t.co/EMUpjds0zb 1/3

[Dr. Anne Rimoin @arimoin]

Agree 💯👇

[Ashish K. Jha @ashishkjha]

We should let Americans come back

Report if they had exposures. Monitor for symptoms. Get care if they need it.

We can keep everyone else safe without shooting ourselves in the foot

End

[Lawrence Gostin @LawrenceGostin]

During every past Ebola outbreak, the US has treated exposed citizens in state-of-the-art facilities. That has saved lives. This harsh action will risk the health and lives of Americans. It will also discourage health workers from assisting in the Ebola response.

[Dan Diamond @ddiamond]

"The reality of Congo," relayed by an American missionary physician who tried to save lives there, and profiled by @LaurenWeberHP today.

[Dr Jean Kaseya @Dr_JeanKaseya]

Africa is standing united against the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola Virus.

Today, during the High-Level Ministerial Meeting, governments and partners announced approximately US$498.8 million in pledges and commitments to strengthen response efforts across affected and high-risk countries.

This is a powerful demonstration of African solidarity, leadership, and collective responsibility in protecting our continent’s health security.

As the outbreak evolves in a complex environment, trust, coordination, and rapid action remain essential to stopping transmission and saving lives.

I thank our Member States, partners, and frontline responders for rising together at this critical moment for Africa’s Health Security.

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L’Afrique reste unie face à l’épidémie en cours du virus Ebola Bundibugyo.

Aujourd’hui, lors de la Réunion ministérielle de haut niveau, les gouvernements et partenaires ont annoncé environ 498,8 millions de dollars américains en promesses et engagements afin de renforcer les efforts de riposte dans les pays touchés et à haut risque.

Ceci représente une démonstration forte de la solidarité africaine, du leadership et de la responsabilité collective pour protéger la sécurité sanitaire de notre continent.

Alors que l’épidémie évolue dans un contexte complexe, la confiance, la coordination et une action rapide demeurent essentielles pour interrompre la transmission et sauver des vies.

Je remercie nos États membres, partenaires et intervenants de première ligne de se mobiliser ensemble à ce moment crucial pour la sécurité sanitaire de l’Afrique.

#AfricaResponds #DRC #Uganda

[Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @HelenBranswell]

More unsettling news: 2 health care workers with uncertain exposure histories confirmed as #Ebola cases in Uganda. If they didn’t care for known cases, they were infected by undetected cases.
That said, Uganda has been very effective in battling Ebola in the past.

[Jason Kindrachuk, PhD @KindrachukJason]

Really fantastic work here from Ulloa-Zepeda et al

[Marion Koopmans, publications: https://pure.eur.nl @MarionKoopmans]

Additional hantavirus case identified in a person in quarantaine shows why quarantaine is important. There is no new risk https://t.co/vaPAEuMz4y @WHO @ECDC_EU

[Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @HelenBranswell]

This is unsettling. The #Ebola confirmed and suspected case count is at 958 already in DRC, with 5 confirmed cases in Uganda. (Uganda doesn’t often disclose suspected case numbers.)
This has all the makings of an ugly and protracted outbreak.

[Dr. Anne Rimoin @arimoin]

@HelenBranswell Sadly this makes a lot more sense.

[Dr. Nahid Bhadelia @BhadeliaMD]

Prelim positive case in West Equatoria, South Sudan.

"20 May 2026, Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak, DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan: Nearly 600 suspected cases reported" https://t.co/O9cfJC0Twx

[Dr. Anne Rimoin @arimoin]

Helen is right. These numbers are staggering, and they are likely to rise quickly given the lag in detecting transmission early in the outbreak.
We are chasing far behind this #Ebola outbreak now. Bringing it under control will require major resources, coordination, and sustained effort.

[Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @HelenBranswell]

2. The numbers of #Ebola cases in this outbreak are staggering, given it was only declared last Friday. 51 confirmed cases, almost 600 suspected cases & 139 suspected deaths. This is the 3rd largest outbreak on record. Modelers are suggesting a worst case scenario of 1,000 cases; seems optimistic.

[Dr. Anne Rimoin @arimoin]

Very important points on the importance of local health care workers and community trust in controlling this rapidly expanding #Ebola outbreak below. 👇

[Paul Nuki 🦋 @PaulNuki]

The most important thing to know about the Ebola epidemic in DRC is this: bringing it under control will rely almost entirely on health workers winning the TRUST of local communities.

This may sound dull, even woke, when compared to talk of experimental vaccines etc. But it’s true, not to mention hugely difficult, resource intensive and dangerous.

The logic is this: you have one of the most frightening infectious diseases spreading in a huge uneducated population that has been subjected to horrific poverty and violence for many years. Yet there are no vaccines or special treatments. The only way to stop it is to break the chains of transmission and this requires the full cooperation of the population.

Winning trust won’t be easy.

More than 2m have been displaced by a conflict that has frequently been marked with mass rapes and village massacres — violence that seemingly occurs without rhyme or reason. There is no understanding of science or politics, and superstition and paranoia understandably fill the gap.

This is what hundreds of local health workers employed by the Red Cross, WHO, MSF and others are walking into.

To slow and eventually end the outbreak they must convince people with symptoms to come forward so they can be isolated away from their families and treated by people clad head to toe in PPE.

Even in death, of which there will be much, they must explain that victims must be separated from their loved ones and forego burial and grieving rites that are central to their faith and understanding.

When we think about the Ebola outbreak in DRC we should think about what we would do in such a situation. How we would win the trust of terrified families were we charged with doing so.

We should think too about the resources that are needed to pay for and support those putting their lives on the line on our behalf.

As things stand, the money needed for the emergency response is only about 40% funded and yet it must last for many months, probably years, if the epidemic is to be successfully brought under control.

[LenaSun @bylenasun]

NEW: Americans may have been exposed in Congo Ebola outbreak. USG is weighing plans to medically evacuate one symptomatic person. My latest. @washingtonpost.com https://t.co/4q5FiPZs90

[Dr. Anne Rimoin @arimoin]

Very important point 👇

[Jason Kindrachuk, PhD @KindrachukJason]

Just to add an additional reflection that I don’t think gets discussed enough. There’s a tendency to focus on deaths and CFR. This is an excruciatingly horrible disease whether one survives or succumbs, and one with long-term health impacts that are often not supported

[Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @HelenBranswell]

#WHO said today the suspected #Ebola #Bundibugyo case in Kinshasa tested negative on confirmatory testing. A tiny bit of good news in a very bad news situation. https://t.co/PbteWyxMXX

[Dr. Anne Rimoin @arimoin]

@HelenBranswell @lenalanadie That’s very good news.

[Dr. Anne Rimoin @arimoin]

@HelenBranswell is right to call this out.

A confirmed #Ebola case in Kinshasa potentially changes the risk picture because it suggests the virus may have moved from a remote outbreak zone into one of the largest, most connected cities in Africa. Two reportedly unlinked confirmed cases in Kampala are also very concerning.

The critical question now is whether these are isolated imported cases or evidence of local transmission in major urban centers. Those are very different scenarios.

This does not mean containment has failed. But the window for getting ahead of this gets much narrower if there is any unrecognized urban transmission.

Speed, diagnostics, contact tracing, and coordination matter even more now.

[Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @HelenBranswell]

2. Four health workers are among the dead; health workers are always at elevated risk in #Ebola outbreaks.
2 cases unlinked to each other have been confirmed in Kampala, the Uganda capital. And a confirmed case has been reported in the DRC capital, Kinshasa.
Bad signs.

[Dr. Anne Rimoin @arimoin]

Very glad to see @DrTedros act swiftly to declare the #Ebola outbreak in #DRC and #Uganda a #PHEIC. This makes good sense given what we know so far.

Large numbers of suspected cases before confirmation, cross-border spread, delayed recognition due in part to diagnostic limitations, a highly mobile population, conflict in the region, and the need for intensive international coordination all fit the criteria for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

This is a big step in mobilizing resources and facilitating coordination that is critical to getting this outbreak under control.

[World Health Organization (WHO) @WHO]

https://t.co/iL3AMadJKk

[KTLA @KTLA]

People who were at LAX at the same time may have been exposed to the measles virus.

Read more: https://t.co/QHWmR9e84g

[LA Public Health @lapublichealth]

Public Health is investigating a confirmed case of measles in a resident who recently traveled internationally. Swipe for flight details and exposure location.

For more information on measles visit: https://t.co/RvU8wqwNMj (link in bio)
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