Just when the world believed the worst years of global viral outbreaks were finally over, one of the deadliest viruses in the world – the Ebola virus – has returned with alarming speed – and this time, the World Health Organisaition (WHO) has warned that the situation is far more complicated than previous outbreaks. During a press meet, the WHO chief revealed that a new strain, potentially more lethal than the previous one, is circulating and triggering fresh cases.
The latest Ebola outbreak spreading across the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and parts of Uganda has now triggered a global public health emergency warning, with suspected infections crossing 600 and deaths continuing to rise rapidly. Adding to the concern is the fact that the virus involved belongs to the rare Bundibugyo strain, a variant for which there is currently no approved vaccine or targeted treatment.
In an exclusive interaction with TheHealthSite.com, Professor Emma Thomson, Director of the MRC–University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, said that the 2026 outbreak in DRC and Uganda is being dominated by the Bundibugyo virus, a member of the species Orthoebolavirus bundibugyoense, closely related to the Ebola virus (species Orthoebolavirus zairense).
“Bundibugyo virus has caused two previously recognised outbreaks. The first was in Bundibugyo District, Uganda, in 2007–2008, with 131 reported cases and 42 deaths, and a case fatality proportion of 34–40%. The second was in Isiro, Democratic Republic of the Congo, in 2012, with 38 laboratory-confirmed cases and 13 deaths, although wider outbreak reports including probable and suspected cases gave higher totals. These figures are lower than the case fatality rates seen in many outbreaks caused by Ebola virus, but they are still extremely serious. Bundibugyo virus disease is not a mild infection.”
Ebola Outbreak 2026: Do We Have Vaccines For The New Strain?
WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that two possible “candidate vaccines” against the Bundibugyo species are being developed, but neither had gone through clinical trials yet, WHO advisor Dr Vasee Moorthy said on Wednesday.
However, addressing the rising concerns of people globally about a potential pandemic due to the n new Ebola outbreak, WHO chief noted that the situation in 2026 is “not a pandemic emergency”, but a “global health warning” has been issued to ensure the virus doesn’t spread further. “WHO assesses the risk of the epidemic as high at the national and regional levels and low at the global level,” he explained.
What Are The Symptoms of Ebola?
According to the experts, after catching the Ebola virus, a patient’s body takes between 2 to 21 days to show the symptoms. If you are staying near the high risk zones, or is concern about what these signs are, take a look at the pointers below:
- High fever accompanied by chills and muscle ache
- Chronic and severe tiredness, fatigue and weakness
- Joint and muscle pain that can become unbearable
- Strong headache and pain behind the eyes
- Nausea or vomiting
- Loose motion, and diarrhoea symptoms
- Pain in the throat, also called sore throat
- Unexplained bleeding or bruising in severe cases
Experts also warns that as the disease progresses, patients may develop internal bleeding, organ failure, dehydration, and shock.
How Ebola spreads
Ebola spreads through direct contact with:
- Blood
- Vomit
- Saliva
- Sweat
- Urine
- Other bodily fluids of infected individuals
The virus can also spread through contaminated surfaces, unsafe burials, and healthcare exposure when protective measures are inadequate. Experts stress that Ebola does not spread like airborne viruses such as COVID-19, but close-contact transmission can still lead to explosive outbreaks.
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