The World Health Organization has declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), raising global concern over the spread of infections in parts of Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
According to WHO data cited in the report, as of May 16, 2026, there were eight laboratory-confirmed Ebola cases, 246 suspected infections, and nearly 80 suspected deaths in affected regions of the DRC. Cases have also been reported in Kampala and Kinshasa, heightening fears that the virus may have spread beyond remote regions before containment efforts began.
Health experts warn that the real scale of the outbreak may be significantly larger than current official figures suggest. WHO has cautioned that the outbreak could be “much larger than what is currently being detected and reported.”
Why the Bundibugyo strain is raising alarm
Unlike previous Ebola outbreaks where vaccines and targeted treatments helped slow transmission, the current outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain — a variant for which no approved vaccine or specific therapeutics currently exist.
Dr Diksha Goyal explained that the Bundibugyo strain is difficult to detect through standard field tests and has limited treatment options available.
Health officials are also concerned because several infections appear to have spread inside healthcare settings. Four nurses are among the confirmed deaths, indicating potential lapses in infection control measures.
Doctors note that Ebola symptoms initially resemble common illnesses such as malaria, typhoid or severe flu, making early diagnosis difficult. Fever, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and body pain are common early symptoms before severe complications develop in some patients.
How Ebola spreads — and why experts urge calm, not panic
Despite Ebola’s high fatality rate, experts emphasise that the virus does not spread through the air like COVID-19 or measles.
Dr Namita Jaggi said Ebola primarily spreads through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected individuals. Transmission can also occur through contaminated objects such as needles, bedding, clothing or infected animals, as well as during burial rituals involving infected bodies.
“It does not spread through normal airborne transmission like measles or COVID-19,” Dr Jaggi explained.
Experts say global preparedness is significantly stronger today compared to earlier Ebola outbreaks, with faster testing systems, contact tracing networks, isolation units and international response teams already activated.
Should India worry?
For now, health experts say the immediate risk to India remains low.
Dr Jaggi noted that risk levels generally rise only if infected travellers arrive before symptoms become visible or if infection-control systems fail within healthcare facilities.
India already maintains infectious disease surveillance systems at airports and major hospitals, particularly during international outbreaks. WHO has also advised countries against imposing blanket travel or trade restrictions, warning that such measures may trigger panic and drive unmonitored movement across borders.
Instead, health authorities are focusing on preparedness measures such as rapid detection, hospital infection control and contact tracing.
Dr Diksha Goyal also warned that Ebola remains a major global concern due to the possibility of natural outbreaks and its classification as a potential bioterrorism threat.
While experts believe the current outbreak can still be contained, the rapid global response reflects lessons learned from previous epidemics and the continuing vulnerability of an interconnected world to infectious disease threats.
