Ebola

Ebola is a severe viral haemorrhagic fever caused by infection with one of several species of the Ebola virus, primarily transmitted to humans from wild animals and spread through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals. The disease is characterised by sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in severe cases internal and external bleeding. Case fatality rates have varied from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks, depending on the virus species and the quality of supportive care available. Ebola is endemic to tropical regions of sub-Saharan Africa, with the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Sudan and Guinea experiencing recurring outbreaks since the virus was first identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Transmission occurs through direct contact with blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials contaminated with these fluids. Healthcare workers and family members caring for patients are at elevated risk. There is no specific cure, but early supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment improves survival, and several vaccines have been developed and deployed in outbreak settings since 2015. The disease poses significant public-health and economic challenges in affected regions, often overwhelming fragile health systems and disrupting trade and movement. Outbreak response relies on case isolation, contact tracing, infection prevention and control in health facilities, safe burial practices and community engagement. The World Health Organisation coordinates international response efforts and has declared certain large outbreaks, notably the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, as public health emergencies of international concern.