Questions and answers about the current outbreak of Ebola disease

Last updated 25 June 2026

What is Ebola disease?

Ebola disease is a rare but severe disease caused by viruses of the genus Orthoebolavirus. It occurs in countries in Africa and can often lead to death, although severity varies depending on the virus species.

Transmission usually occurs from person to person through direct contact with blood and other bodily fluids.

The first documented outbreak of Ebola disease was reported in 1976 in the area what is now in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

What are the symptoms of Ebola disease?

In many cases, an infected person experiences:

• sudden onset of fever;
• weakness, muscle and joint pains;
• headache.

This is often followed by:

• progressive weakness;
• lack of appetite;
• diarrhoea (sometimes containing blood and mucus);
• nausea and vomiting.

The initial symptoms are unspecific and similar to more common diseases, such as the common cold and malaria. The next stage is more severe, with bleeding from the nose, gums and skin, and bloody vomiting and stools.

Other symptoms include skin rash, inflamed throat and difficulty swallowing. It can take between two and 21 days from the point of infection for a person to begin to show symptoms.

What is the current situation? 

For the latest figures, check ECDC’s page about this outbreak. 

What is the risk for people from Europe living in, or travelling to, affected countries?

Although information about the current outbreak is still limited, the likelihood of infection for people from Europe travelling to or living in affected countries is low, provided they follow recommended precautions. Ebola disease spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of people or animals with the infection (living or dead). (e This type of exposure is unlikely for most travellers or expatriates living in the affected countries.

Healthcare workers and humanitarian staff working directly with patients or local communities in affected countries are more likely to be exposed to the virus. However, if appropriate infection prevention and control measures are followed, the risk for these groups is also considered low.

What is the risk for people living in Europe?

The overall risk for the general population in Europe remains very low. Ebola disease spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of people or animals with the infection (living or dead). 

While imported cases can occur, the likelihood of further spread in Europe is very low when cases are identified quickly and appropriate measures, including isolation, contact tracing and infection prevention and control, are implemented.

What is the likelihood of Ebola disease cases being imported into Europe?

Modelling estimates carried out by ECDC suggest that the risk of a case being imported from the outbreak area into the EU/EEA remains very low. Sporadic imported cases cannot be excluded, but the probability of multiple independent importations remains very low (below 1% until December 2026), even in a pessimistic scenario in which the number of cases continues to increase in the affected countries. These results are consistent with the estimates presented in ECDC’s June report. 

The modelling considers the general population in the affected provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. It does not include returning healthcare workers, outbreak responders or humanitarian personnel, who might have different levels of exposure and travel patterns and are also subject to specific infection prevention and monitoring measures.

Do imported Ebola disease cases increase the risk of an outbreak in Europe?

Healthcare workers and other professionals returning from the affected region face a substantially higher risk of exposure, while also being subject to infection control measures and monitoring protocols. As a result, the probability of infection and of travel might differ considerably from the general population. 

Three cases of Ebola disease linked to the ongoing outbreak have been imported into Europe, all of which were linked to medical or humanitarian work in the affected regions. These imported cases do not change ECDC’s assessment that the overall risk to the general population in Europe remains very low.

The virus only spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of a person or an animal with the infection. It does not spread through the air or via casual contact, and people generally do not spread the virus before they feel ill. It can take between two and 21 days for symptoms to appear.

ECDC has provided Member States with guidance to help them quickly identify, isolate, and safely treat anyone who becomes infected, preventing the virus from spreading further. If you have recently travelled from the affected region, please refer to the travel advice information on this page.

Is this outbreak of concern? 

Yes. While the risk of infection for people in Europe remains very low, the outbreak remains a public health emergency of international concern, mostly for DRC and other high-risk countries in the region. The number of cases continues to increase and the outbreak has expanded geographically, including to new DRC health zones and provinces.

Responding to the outbreak remains challenging, particularly in remote and difficult-to-access areas. In addition, the outbreak is caused by Bundibugyo virus, for which there are currently no licensed vaccines, post-exposure prophylaxis or specific treatments. Continued surveillance, rapid identification and isolation of cases, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, and community engagement are therefore particularly important.

How deadly is Ebola disease?

The proportion of people who die from Ebola disease varies depending on the virus species, the outbreak situation, and access to medical care. In previous outbreaks caused by Bundibugyo virus, around 30% to 50% of reported patients died from the disease. Outbreaks caused by Zaire ebolavirus have generally had higher death rates.

Why is exit screening important?

Exit screening in affected countries, including checking for symptoms and assessing travellers’ possible exposure to Bundibugyo virus, is crucial as it helps identify travellers who are symptomatic before they board and prevents them from travelling. This reduces the risk of people transmitting the disease further.

Exit screening also helps dissuade people who are symptomatic from travelling, and enhances public confidence. However, it cannot fully prevent exportation of cases, as the absence of symptoms at departure does not exclude subsequent onset of disease.

Are all travellers returning from DRC or Uganda at risk of infection?

For most travellers, the likelihood of infection remains low, provided they keep to the recommended precautionary measures.

The likelihood of infection is higher for people who have direct contact with someone with the infection, their bodily fluids, or contaminated materials, which could include some healthcare and humanitarian workers. However, the likelihood of infection for this group is also low, provided they strictly adhere to the appropriate infection prevention and control measures.

The virus spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of a person or animal with the infection. Ebola disease is not airborne and the virus does not spread through casual contact. People are generally not contagious before they develop symptoms.

What are ECDC’s key recommendations for travellers returning from affected countries?

Travellers returning from affected countries should be informed about the symptoms of Ebola disease, how the virus spreads, and what to do if symptoms develop after their return. Depending on their travel history and possible exposure, some travellers may undergo an individual assessment of their exposure to people with the disease upon arrival.

Travellers should follow the advice of local and national health authorities and monitor themselves for symptoms after returning from affected countries.

What precautions should travellers to affected countries take?

Travellers to affected countries should take steps to minimise their risk of exposure. This includes avoiding contact with people who are symptomatic, their bodily fluids, and the bodies of people who have died from the disease, and avoiding sexual intercourse with people who have had Ebola in the past 12 months. Travellers should also avoid contact with wild animals (including monkeys, forest antelopes, rodents and bats), whether dead or alive, and avoid handling or consuming bushmeat. Regular hygiene and following the advice of local health authorities are also important.  

What should people do if they become ill while travelling?

If a person develops symptoms compatible with Ebola disease while travelling, they should self-isolate, contact healthcare services as soon as possible, and inform healthcare professionals about their travel history and any potential exposure. They should not go directly to a doctor's office or hospital emergency department without first contacting healthcare services for advice.

If symptoms develop during a commercial flight, they should notify the cabin crew. Appropriate procedures can then be followed while on the plane and upon arrival to ensure they receive medical care and that any necessary public health measures are also implemented. If infection is subsequently confirmed, public health authorities may initiate contact tracing of relevant passengers and other contacts.

Do returning travellers need to monitor their health after returning home?

Yes. Travellers returning from affected countries should monitor their health for 21 days after leaving those countries. If symptoms develop during this period, they should self-isolate, contact healthcare services as soon as possible, and inform healthcare professionals about their travel history and any potential exposure. They should not visit a doctor's office or hospital emergency department without first contacting healthcare services for advice. However, it is important to remember that most travellers will not contract the disease.

Can people transmit the virus before symptoms appear?

People with Ebola disease are generally not contagious before symptoms appear. The virus is transmitted through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of a person or animal with the infection, or from when a person first becomes symptomatic.

This is one of the reasons why identifying individuals who are symptomatic isolating suspected and confirmed cases, and applying infection prevention and control measures are effective tools to reduce transmission.

Is there a vaccine or treatment available for Bundibugyo virus disease?

There is currently no licensed vaccine or specific treatment available for Bundibugyo virus disease. One vaccine is licensed in the EU/EEA against Ebola disease caused by Zaire ebolavirus, but there is currently no scientific evidence that it would protect against Bundibugyo virus.

Research on vaccines against Bundibugyo virus is ongoing. This includes the development of new vaccine candidates and research into whether existing Ebola vaccines could provide protection against Bundibugyo virus.

There are currently no specific treatments available for Bundibugyo virus disease. At present, treatment mainly consists of supportive medical care, including hydration, management of symptoms, and careful infection prevention and control measures. 
 

How can I protect myself against Ebola disease?

People travelling to or living in affected countries should take the following measures:

• avoid contact with people who are symptomatic and/or their bodily fluids;
• avoid contact with bodies and/or the bodily fluids from those who are deceased;
• avoid contact with wild animals (including monkeys, forest antelopes, rodents and bats), both alive and dead, and the consumption of ‘bush meat’;
• wash hands regularly, using soap or antiseptics.

What are ECDC’s key recommendations to EU/EEA countries?

ECDC recommends that EU/EEA countries maintain preparedness for the detection and management of imported cases. Countries should be able to rapidly identify and isolate suspected and confirmed cases, carry out contact tracing, and apply appropriate infection prevention and control measures.

Countries should also ensure that healthcare professionals are aware of the ongoing outbreak and know how to recognise and safely manage a suspected case. This includes maintaining appropriate testing and diagnostic capacity, trained staff, necessary equipment, and procedures for the safe transfer and management of patients.

How is ECDC responding to the outbreak?

ECDC has supported Africa CDC since the outbreak was first reported. The Centre has also published scientific advice, modelling and operational guidance to support EU/EEA preparedness and response. This includes assessments of the risk to the EU/EEA and modelling of the likelihood of imported cases, guidance on infection prevention and control, testing, traveller screening and contact tracing, air travel, substances of human origin, and the management of suspected and confirmed cases, as well as communication materials. ECDC continues to update its assessments and modelling as the outbreak evolves and new information becomes available.

Through the EU Health Task Force, ECDC has deployed experts to support the response to the outbreak in affected and neighbouring countries and at regional level. Support has included surveillance and data analysis, coordination and operational planning, assessment of exit screening at points of entry, and risk communication and community engagement, in collaboration with international partners and the national authorities.

ECDC works closely with the European Union Reference Laboratory for Public Health on Emerging, Rodent-borne and Zoonotic Viral Pathogens (EURL-PH-ERZV) to support EU/EEA national reference laboratories through diagnostic services for Bundibugyo virus infection, biosafety advice on the handling and inactivation of samples, and technical support for diagnostic procedures.
 

How can an outbreak be stopped?

An outbreak of Ebola disease is stopped by breaking the chains of transmission. This can be done by isolating patients who are suspected or confirmed as having the disease to prevent onward transmission. People who have been in close contact with patients are also contacted and monitored to identify possible infections.

Where do ebolaviruses come from?

Ebolaviruses are thought to circulate in wild animals in sub-Saharan Africa. They have been found in fruit bats, chimpanzees, gorillas and duikers, and human infections have been linked to direct contact with such animals.