health
Dr. Deborah Birx on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," May 24, 2026
Updated on: May 24, 2026 / 2:10 PM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is concerning due to a likely delay of several weeks in reporting, making it hard to assess the true rate of new cases.
- Despite the severity, the U.S. has a robust preparedness system, including bio-containment facilities in multiple hospitals and a proactive interagency Ebola response task force.
- Dr. Birx stresses the critical need to strengthen the African CDC to improve early detection and response to such outbreaks.
- Concerns about U.S. funding cuts to USAID and the WHO are addressed, with Birx pointing to significant immediate funding and personnel deployed by the current administration.
- While acknowledging the importance of having confirmed agency heads, Birx assures that the U.S. has a 'deep bench' of experienced personnel ready to respond to infectious disease threats.