As Ebola spreads across central and East Africa, public health workers blame the Trump administration's foreign aid cuts for hampering the response. Basic medical supplies like masks and hand sanitizers are scarce due to funding shortages.

The USAID has been gutted, leaving the CDC understaffed and burnt out. The World Health Organization is also unfunded, unable to step in as planned. An unnamed CDC employee warns that without support, containment efforts will falter.

The outbreak was first identified in Ituri, a region known for refugee movement. Uganda has had confirmed cases from Congolese travelers, highlighting the urgency of rapid response. The CDC states that up to 50% of people infected with this strain of Ebola could die.

In a statement, the CDC says they are working closely with the WHO but warn that their ability to support teams on the ground is diminished. A Harvard Medical School professor believes the outbreak could have been caught sooner if US aid had not been slashed.