Ebola disease

What is Ebola disease?

Ebola disease is caused by Orthoebolavirus which causes severe illness, often leading to death. Ebola disease was first identified in 1976 in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and primarily affects Central and West Africa. The WHO has declared Ebola disease outbreaks to be a public health emergency of international concern three times in 2014, 2019 and most recently on 16 May 2026, in response to the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.

How is Ebola disease transmitted?

Fruit bats are thought to be the natural carriers of the Orthoebolavirus. Humans can get infected through contact with body fluids or tissues from infected animals, including fruit bats, primates, forest antelope or porcupines.

Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with blood or body fluids from an infected person, or with objects contaminated with infected body fluids.

Infected individuals become infectious once they begin to develop symptoms. They remain infectious as long as the virus is present in the blood or body fluids.

The virus can persist in semen of survivors and be transmitted sexually after recovery. Pregnant women who recover from Ebola disease may still carry the virus in breastmilk, or in pregnancy-related fluids and tissues.

What are the symptoms of Ebola disease? 

Initial symptoms include sudden onset of fever, weakness, malaise, muscle pain, joint pain, headache and sore throat.

This can be followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, rash, red eyes, confusion, shortness of breath, chest pain, internal and external bleeding.

What are the risk factors for getting Ebola infection?

Risk factors include:

• Unprotected exposure to blood and body fluids or secretions from infected or deceased people (including in burials or funerals), or infected animals.

• Direct contact with environments contaminated with an infected person’s body fluids.

How is Ebola disease treated?

Patients with Ebola disease are generally managed with supportive care including fluid and electrolyte replacement, medications to support blood pressure and manage symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and pain, and treatment for secondary infections or co-infections such as malaria. Early diagnosis and treatment significantly improve survival outcomes. 

In outbreak settings, WHO recommends treatment with monoclonal antibodies depending on the type of outbreak and virus strain where there is expected efficacy.  

How is Ebola disease prevented?

To reduce risk of exposure to Ebola disease, travellers are advised to maintain vigilance and adopt the following health precautions:

• Observe good personal hygiene by washing hands regularly with soap and water, or with hand sanitisers with at least 60% alcohol content.

• Avoid contact with persons who are unwell with possible symptoms of Ebola disease, contact with their blood or bodily fluids or shared personal items.

• Avoid participating in funerals or burial ceremonies which require direct contact with bodies, especially those who have or may have died from Ebola disease.

• Avoid contact with animals, especially bats, primates (e.g., monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas), forest antelope or porcupines.

• Avoid eating, cooking or handling bushmeat (meat from wild animals) or any meat from unknown sources.

• Avoid visiting healthcare facilities, especially those treating Ebola patients, unless necessary.

Individuals who develop symptoms of Ebola disease (as listed above) during or after their trip should seek medical attention immediately. They should inform their doctor of their recent travel to countries with reported Ebola disease activity (refer to World Health Organization for latest information) and any potential exposures (as listed above).

Please refer to Health Advice for Travellers for the full list of precautions to take when travelling.