Employees at an Ebola treatment center in the city of Beni in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a previous Ebola outbreak.Image: keystone
May 18, 2026, 12:42 p.mMay 18, 2026, 12:42 p.m
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an international public health emergency following an outbreak of a rare variant of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The African health authority Africa CDC now assumes 336 suspected cases and 88 deaths. The first cases have already been reported in neighboring Uganda. What you need to know about the current outbreak and the viral disease Ebola.
What is Ebola?
Ebola is an infectious disease caused by viruses that belongs to the group of hemorrhagic fevers. It is characterized by an often very severe course and a high mortality rate, which is why it is counted among the particularly dangerous viral diseases. Ebola was first described in 1976 in two outbreaks almost simultaneously, in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire) near the Ebola River and in what is now Sudan.
The disease’s name comes from the Ebola River in the DR Congo, where the first known outbreak was discovered. Since its discovery, Ebola has repeatedly occurred in the form of individual local outbreaks, but there has never been a global pandemic.
How is the virus transmitted?
Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are often cited as natural hosts of the virus. However, the virus has also been detected in dead chimpanzees, gorillas, forest antelopes and porcupines. When people come into close contact with blood, secretions, organs or other body fluids from infected animals, the disease can be transmitted from animals to humans.
The virus can then also spread from person to person through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person. But also about objects that are contaminated with infected body fluids. According to current research, infected people are only contagious when they show symptoms of the disease.
What are the symptoms?
After infection with the virus, the first symptoms appear after 2 to 21 days. It usually starts with fever, tiredness, malaise, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhea and a rash. Severe cases are associated with impaired kidney and liver functions and can lead to multiple organ failure. In rare cases, internal and external bleeding can also occur.
Can Ebola disease be treated?
Ebola disease can now be treated much better than it was a few years ago, especially if the disease is detected early. The chances of survival increase significantly if infected people receive medical care quickly. The main treatment is to stabilize the body and relieve the symptoms. For example, those affected receive plenty of fluids and electrolytes because Ebola often leads to severe fluid loss through vomiting and diarrhea.
In addition, oxygen, medication for pain and fever, and treatments for other infections are used. In severe cases, care is provided in special isolation wards. There are now also certain medications, so-called monoclonal antibodies, that can have a targeted effect against the virus.
Is there a vaccination?
Yes, the Ebola vaccination protects particularly well against the Zaire Ebola virus, which is responsible for most major outbreaks. According to the WHO, this vaccine is primarily used during outbreaks to quickly contain the spread. There are also other vaccination concepts such as the two-dose Zabdeno/Mvabea vaccination, which can also be used against certain Ebola variants.
These vaccinations are particularly useful for people with an increased risk of infection. This includes medical personnel in outbreak areas, close contacts of those who are sick, and people who live or work in regions where an Ebola outbreak is currently occurring. Vaccination is usually not routinely recommended for the general population outside such risk areas.
What is special about the current version?
The rare Bundibugyo variant of the Ebola virus was detected in the current outbreak in Congo-Kinshasa. In contrast to the most common variant, the Zaire Ebola virus, there is no vaccine for it. According to the local authorities, there is currently no treatment, as the German news magazine Deutschlandfunk writes. However, according to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), the mortality rate of 37 percent is significantly lower than that of the Zaire virus, which is fatal in 90 percent of cases.
Where is Ebola particularly common?
The virus mainly occurs in Central and West Africa, especially in tropical rainforest regions. According to the WHO, most outbreaks so far have occurred in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Particularly large epidemics occurred in West Africa between 2014 and 2016 and several times in the DR Congo.
When isolated cases of Ebola occurred in Europe, they were usually associated with the return of infected travelers from Central or West African countries. However, strict isolation has always prevented an outbreak of the virus in Europe.
How high is the risk of the virus spreading?
On Sunday, the WHO declared an international public health emergency regarding the Ebola outbreak. This is the second highest alert level of a pandemic emergency. There is a real risk of spread in the affected region due to conflicts, high mobility and weak health systems. The WHO speaks of a high risk for the ten neighboring countries of the Congo.
However, according to the current WHO assessment, the risk remains very low for Europe and other distant regions as long as rapid isolation, contact tracing and protective measures work. (July)