Ebola Outbreak 2026

What is Ebola?
Ebola is a rare but serious illness caused by a group of viruses called orthoebolaviruses. There are six known species. The one active right now is called Bundibugyo virus, named after the district in Uganda where it was first identified in 2007. It is not the same as the more well-known Zaire strain. Bundibugyo has a lower death rate and has only caused two previous outbreaks, both smaller than this one.

How does it spread?
Ebola does not travel through the air, water, or food. You cannot catch it by being in the same room as someone. It only spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids (sweat, vomit, or saliva) of a person who is already showing symptoms. People who care for sick patients and those who handle the bodies of people who died from Ebola are at the highest risk. A person with Ebola is not contagious until their symptoms begin.

What are the symptoms?
Symptoms start between 2 and 21 days after contact with the virus. They usually begin with fever, tiredness, muscle aches, and headache, similar to the flu. Within a few days, vomiting, diarrhea, and severe stomach pain set in. Despite what movies show, heavy bleeding is actually uncommon. It occurs in fewer than half of cases and usually only later in the illness. Early supportive care, mainly fluids and treatment of symptoms, greatly improves the chance of survival.

Why did it come back after over a decade?
The Bundibugyo strain last caused a recorded outbreak in 2012 in DRC. Between outbreaks, the virus quietly survives in animal hosts, most likely fruit bats living in the forests of central Africa. It does not disappear; it waits. When a person comes into close contact with an infected animal, such as through hunting, handling, or eating bushmeat, the virus can jump into humans. From there, it spreads person-to-person through the community, particularly in areas with limited healthcare access. The remote, conflict-affected regions of Ituri Province in DRC create exactly those conditions.

Is there a vaccine or treatment?
The two approved Ebola vaccines, Ervebo and ZABDENO, were designed for the Zaire strain only. They do not work against Bundibugyo virus. There is no approved vaccine for this current outbreak. Experimental vaccines for Bundibugyo are being developed around the world, but none are ready for widespread use yet. There are also no approved antiviral drugs for Bundibugyo. Doctors treat patients by managing symptoms: giving fluids, managing pain, and treating complications as they arise.

Sources: WHO Ebola fact sheet · CDC Ebola FAQ · CDC Health Alert Network HAN00530