Blog
In-depth analysis, research, and guides on Ebola virus disease
Bundibugyo Ebolavirus 2026: Cross-Border Outbreak in DRC and Uganda
WHO confirmed a Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak spanning DRC and Uganda on 16 May 2026 — the first since 2012. This article covers the strain's history, current spread, and why cross-border coordination is critical.
How Ebola Infection Begins: The First 72 Hours Inside the Human Body
What happens at the cellular level in the first 72 hours after Ebola virus enters the human body? A step-by-step account of viral entry, immune evasion, and the early battle that determines survival.
Healthcare Worker Infection Risk: Why Ebola Kills the People Trying to Stop It
Healthcare workers are 21–32 times more likely to contract Ebola than the general population during an active outbreak. This article examines the causes, the death toll across every major outbreak, PPE failures, and what modern protocols have changed.
Secondary Infection in Ebola Outbreaks: How One Case Becomes a Cluster
Ebola's reproduction number is below 2 — far lower than measles or COVID-19. So why do outbreaks grow? The answer lies in secondary infection dynamics: who transmits, in what settings, and why contact tracing fails at critical moments.
Ebola Infection vs. Exposure: What Contact Tracing Actually Tracks
Not every Ebola exposure leads to infection. Contact tracing monitors everyone who was exposed — but only a fraction will become infected. Understanding the difference is essential to understanding how outbreak response works, and where it fails.
Ebola Travel Advisory 2026: What Travellers Need to Know About DRC
Planning travel to DRC or surrounding countries? This page covers current Ebola travel advisories for the 2026 outbreak, risk levels by region, and practical guidance for travellers and returning aid workers.
Uganda's 2025 SVD Outbreak: How Africa's Best Ebola Responder Contained a Virus With No Vaccine
Uganda declared its sixth Sudan virus disease outbreak over on 26 April 2025 — 86 days after it began. Here's a detailed account of how the country contained a deadly virus for which no approved vaccine or treatment exists, and what the world learned.
Global Ebola Preparedness in 2026: Progress, Gaps, and What Comes Next
Fifty years after Ebola's discovery, how well-prepared is the world for major Ebola outbreaks? This analysis assesses progress in vaccines, treatments, surveillance, and health systems — and identifies what remains dangerously insufficient.
Ebola Symptoms: A Complete Clinical Guide
A detailed guide to Ebola virus disease symptoms by disease phase — from incubation through hemorrhagic presentation. Includes clinical timelines and key warning signs.
How Ebola Spreads: Transmission Routes Explained
A science-based explanation of how Ebola virus disease is transmitted between people, including common misconceptions, risk factors, and what does NOT spread the virus.
Ebola Death Rate: Case Fatality Rates Across All Outbreaks Explained
Why does Ebola's death rate range from 25% to 90%? This article explains case fatality rates (CFR) across all 31+ Ebola outbreaks, the factors that drive variation, and how modern treatment is changing outcomes.
How Is Ebola Diagnosed? PCR Tests, Rapid Tests, and Clinical Criteria
A guide to Ebola diagnosis — from clinical recognition and sample collection to RT-PCR testing and point-of-care rapid tests. Explains why early diagnosis is critical and the challenges of testing in the field.
DRC's 16 Ebola Outbreaks: A Complete History (1976–2026)
The Democratic Republic of Congo has experienced more Ebola outbreaks than any other country. This article documents all 16 DRC outbreaks from Yambuku 1976 to the active 2026 outbreak.
Ebola Prevention for Healthcare Workers: PPE, IPC, and Safe Procedures
A comprehensive guide to infection prevention and control (IPC) measures for healthcare workers responding to Ebola outbreaks — covering PPE selection, donning/doffing, and high-risk procedures.
Ebola Outbreak Response: From Detection to Declaration of End
What happens when Ebola is detected? This step-by-step guide explains the complete outbreak response cycle — from the first alert to end-of-outbreak declaration — including who does what and how long each phase takes.
The 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola Epidemic: A Retrospective
An in-depth analysis of the largest Ebola outbreak in history — the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic that infected 28,616 people across Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.
Ebola Treatment in 2026: Inmazeb, Ebanga, and Supportive Care
A complete guide to approved Ebola treatments — Inmazeb (REGN-EB3) and Ebanga (ansuvimab) — including how they work, efficacy data from the PALM trial, and the role of supportive care.
Ring Vaccination and Contact Tracing: How Ebola Outbreaks Are Contained
The two most powerful tools for stopping an Ebola outbreak are ring vaccination and contact tracing. This article explains how they work, the evidence behind them, and the challenges of deployment in conflict zones.
Ebola vs Marburg Virus: Key Differences, Similarities, and Why Both Are Dangerous
A detailed comparison of Ebola and Marburg viruses — two filoviruses with similar clinical presentations but important epidemiological differences. Covers CFR, transmission, outbreaks, and vaccines.
The rVSV-ZEBOV Vaccine: How Ebola's First Approved Vaccine Works
A research guide to the rVSV-ZEBOV (Ervebo) Ebola vaccine — its development, mechanism of action, efficacy data, ring vaccination strategy, and limitations.
The 21-Day Ebola Rule: Incubation Period, Monitoring, and Quarantine
The 21-day Ebola monitoring period is one of the most widely cited but least understood public health rules. This guide explains the science behind the 21 days, how monitoring works, and what quarantine is actually required.
How Ebola Kills: Pathophysiology, Cytokine Storm, and Organ Failure
A science-based explanation of the biological mechanisms by which Ebola virus causes death — covering viral entry, immune evasion, cytokine storm, vascular damage, and multi-organ failure.
Safe and Dignified Burials: A Critical Tool in Ebola Outbreak Control
Up to 30% of Ebola transmission has occurred during traditional burial practices. Safe and Dignified Burial (SDB) programs transformed outbreak control in West Africa and remain a cornerstone of the response today.
Surviving Ebola: Post-Ebola Syndrome and Long-Term Health Effects
Ebola survivors face lasting health challenges after recovery. This article covers Post-Ebola Syndrome — joint pain, vision loss, neurological effects, and the psychological burden of survival.
When Is Ebola Contagious? Understanding Infectiousness and Isolation Timing
Ebola is only contagious when a person is symptomatic — not during incubation. This guide explains exactly when Ebola becomes infectious, how long isolation is required, and the rules for healthcare worker monitoring.
Ebola in Children: Clinical Differences, Mortality, and Care Challenges
Ebola affects children differently from adults — with distinct clinical presentations, variable mortality rates, and unique care challenges. This article examines the paediatric data from major outbreaks.
The Five Ebola Virus Species: Zaire, Sudan, Bundibugyo, Tai Forest, Reston
A complete guide to all five recognised Ebola virus species — their discovery, geographic range, case fatality rates, and the critical differences that affect vaccine and treatment choices.
DRC Kivu 2018–2020: Inside the World's Most Complex Ebola Response
The DRC Kivu outbreak lasted 680 days, infected 3,481 people, and killed 2,299. It was the most complex Ebola response ever attempted — fought in a war zone, amid community resistance, with unprecedented tools. This is what happened.
Ebola's Natural Reservoir: Fruit Bats, Wildlife, and Spillover
How does Ebola get into human populations? This article examines the evidence for fruit bats as Ebola's natural reservoir, the role of bushmeat, and the ecology of spillover events.
Sudan Ebolavirus: The Deadly Strain Without an Approved Vaccine
Sudan ebolavirus has caused 7 outbreaks and killed hundreds of people — yet no approved vaccine or treatment exists. This article examines the threat, the 2022 Uganda outbreak, and the race to develop countermeasures.
Ebola and Healthcare Workers: Risk, Deaths, and Protection Across Outbreaks
Healthcare workers face disproportionate risk from Ebola outbreaks. This analysis examines the scope of healthcare worker deaths across outbreaks, the specific vulnerabilities, and how protection has evolved from 1976 to today.
Viral Hemorrhagic Fever: What It Is and Why Ebola Causes Bleeding
Viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) describes a clinical syndrome of fever and abnormal bleeding. This article explains the biology of VHF, why Ebola and other filoviruses cause it, and which other viruses belong to this category.
How Ebola Vaccines Were Developed: From 1976 to Approved Immunisation
The story of Ebola vaccine development spans 40 years — from the virus's discovery in 1976 to the first approved vaccines in 2019–2020. This article traces the scientific journey, the pivotal trials, and what vaccines now exist.
10 Lessons the World Learned From the 2014 West Africa Ebola Epidemic
The 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola epidemic was the deadliest in history. Over 11,000 people died and the world's pandemic response architecture was exposed as inadequate. Here are 10 lessons that reshaped global health preparedness.
Bushmeat and Ebola: Understanding Zoonotic Spillover in Central Africa
Most Ebola outbreaks begin with a single human contact with an infected animal — zoonotic spillover. This article examines the role of bushmeat hunting, fruit bats as reservoirs, and why spillover events keep happening.