Written By: Satata Karmakar | Published : May 25, 2026 1:07 PM IST
Medically Verified By: Dr. Subramanian Swaminathan
What is Ebola virus? How deadly is the threat in 2026? (Image generated using AI)
A new and rapidly evolving Ebola outbreak has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). As of 18 May 2026, the outbreak -- centred in the Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) -- has resulted in over 900 suspected cases and more than 119 associated deaths, with cases now confirmed across the border in Uganda's capital, Kampala.
To understand how deadly is the threat, and if there is a possibility of any upcoming pandemic due to the Ebola virus -- from a global front, we spoke to Dr. Subramanian Swaminathan, MBBS MD DNB MNAMS, AB Internal Medicine AB Infectious Disease, Director- Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Gleneagles Hospitals. President CIDS India. Read on to know more about the current Ebola outbreak and the variant that is spreading right now.
Ebola is a severe viral haemorrhagic fever caused by the Ebola virus -- an RNA virus with several distinct strains (called clades), some of which can cause fatal disease in humans. According to the experts, the worst and the notorious strain of the Ebola virus is the Zaire strain - which is known to have a mortality rate as high as 90%. However, WHO has noted that the current outbreak of 2026 is being driven by another mutated version of the Ebola virus known as the Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), a rarer strain with a case fatality rate of 25 50%.This is only the third recorded outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain, with previous occurrences in Uganda (2007 2008) and the DRC (2012).
Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person. It does not spread through casual contact or the air. This makes it particularly dangerous for healthcare workers and family members who provide close care for the sick.A significant driver of past outbreaks in West Africa was the traditional practice of washing and preparing the bodies of the deceased, which can transmit the virus very rapidly. Strict contact precautions and safe burial protocols are therefore critical to containment.
Symptoms of Ebola virus.
The illness begins with non-specific symptoms -- fever, headache, body aches, sore throat, and diarrhoea -- which can initially be mistaken for more common infections. As the disease progresses, severe gastrointestinal symptoms develop, followed by the hallmark haemorrhagic manifestations: internal and external bleeding. It is this later stage that is most dangerous and often fatal.
A critical concern with this outbreak is that there is currently no approved specific therapeutic for the Bundibugyo virus.Available Ebola vaccines -- including Ervebo (Merck) and Zabdeno/Mvabea (Johnson & Johnson) -- were developed to target the Zaire strain, and their efficacy against this variant is currently unknown. These vaccines are recommended only for high-risk individuals, such as frontline healthcare workers and those living in or travelling to affected areas. Treatment remains supportive -- fluid resuscitation, symptom management, and strict isolation.Research and development efforts to fast-track potential countermeasures specific to the Bundibugyo strain are now urgently underway.
How to stop Ebola from spreading?
Health authorities advise the following: Avoid all non-essential travel to the affected areas of eastern DRC and Uganda; healthcare workers travelling to the region should seek specialist advice and stay informed about the latest situation; anyone in contact with potentially infected individuals must follow full contact precautions and avoid exposure to blood or body fluids. Close contacts of confirmed cases should be placed in quarantine. The role of sexual transmission is unlikely to be an important mode of transmission.
While the WHO has declared this a PHEIC, it has explicitly stated that the outbreak does not meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency. Because Ebola does not spread through the air and requires close contact for transmission, the probability of global dissemination is extremely low. However, the volatile humanitarian situation in Ituri Province with nearly two million displaced people and ongoing conflict makes containment challenging. International agencies including the CDC, WHO, and Doctors Without Borders, are mounting coordinated responses.The situation is serious and warrants vigilance, but there is no cause for panic. Appropriate global preparedness measures are being implemented to protect public health.
