Should Australians Be Worried About the New Ebola Strain? What You Actually Need to Know

May 20 2026, by Tatianna Gerard , 17 min reading time

A new Ebola outbreak in Africa recently has sparked international concern, with health authorities closely monitoring cases linked to the Bundibugyo virus — a less common type of Ebola that is different from the Zaire strain most people associate with past major outbreaks.

According to the World Health Organization, confirmed and suspected cases have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with cases also linked to Uganda. The outbreak has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, largely because early detection, containment and access to the right medical tools are critical in stopping Ebola from spreading further.

For Australians, this does not mean there is a reason to panic. Ebola does not spread in the same way as COVID-19, flu or RSV, and the risk to people who have not travelled to affected areas remains very low.

However, it is still worth understanding what makes this outbreak different, how Ebola is transmitted, and why global outbreaks can matter even when they are happening far from home.

What is Ebola?

Ebola is a rare but serious viral illness that can cause severe disease in humans. It belongs to a group of viruses known as ebolaviruses, which are part of the Filoviridae virus family.

Ebola can cause what is known as viral haemorrhagic fever. This means the virus can affect the immune system, blood vessels and major organs. In severe cases, it may lead to internal or external bleeding, although bleeding does not happen in every case.

When was Ebola first discovered?

Ebola was first identified in 1976 during two separate outbreaks in Central Africa: one in Yambuku, in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo, and another in Nzara and Maridi, in what is now South Sudan.

At the time, the outbreaks were severe. In the Yambuku outbreak, there were 318 reported cases and 280 deaths, making it a very high-fatality outbreak. In the Sudan outbreak, there were 284 reported cases and 141 deaths.

The virus was later named after the Ebola River, which was near one of the early outbreak areas. Since then, Ebola outbreaks have mostly occurred in parts of Central, East and West Africa.

Some outbreaks have been small and contained quickly, while others have caused major public health emergencies. The largest Ebola outbreak occurred in West Africa from 2014 to 2016, where more than 28,600 people were infected and 11,325 people died.

This history helps explain why Ebola still attracts global attention today. Even though it is rare, outbreaks can become very serious when they spread through healthcare settings, close household contact, caregiving situations or unsafe burial practices.

Is Ebola one virus or a family of viruses?

Ebola is often spoken about as one disease, but there is not just one Ebola virus.

There are several different ebolavirus species, and they can vary in how often they appear, how severe they are, and what vaccines or treatments may be available.

The most well-known species is the Zaire Ebola virus, which has caused some of the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreaks in history, with a fatality rate of up to 90% without treatment. However, the current outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, which is a different and less common species.

What is the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola?

The Bundibugyo Ebola virus is one of several known species of ebolavirus. It is part of the same broader Ebola virus family, but it is not the same as the Zaire Ebola virus, which is the strain most people associate with the deadliest and largest Ebola outbreaks.

Bundibugyo Ebola was first identified during an outbreak in Uganda’s Bundibugyo district in 2007–2008. Since then, it has been reported far less often than Zaire Ebola, which is one reason the current outbreak has gained international attention.

Is Bundibugyo Ebola deadly?

Yes, Bundibugyo Ebola can be deadly. However, it is generally considered to have a lower fatality rate than Zaire Ebola.

A 2024 meta-analysis reported the estimated case fatality rate for Bundibugyo Ebola at around 32.8%, compared with around 66.6% for Zaire Ebola. That means Bundibugyo may be less deadly than Zaire overall, but it is still a very serious disease that requires urgent public health action.

Why has the WHO declared a global health emergency?

The WHO's declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is a formal legal mechanism under the International Health Regulations. It is the organisation's most powerful coordination tool, and it has only been used a handful of times in history — including during COVID-19, the 2014 Ebola epidemic, and the 2022 mpox outbreak.

A PHEIC declaration does three things:

Triggers coordinated international action — WHO member states are formally notified and expected to increase surveillance and reporting
Unlocks emergency funding and resources — accelerating the deployment of medical teams, diagnostics, and experimental treatments
Activates international collaboration — on vaccine development, contact tracing support, and cross-border health monitoring

Critically, a PHEIC is not a pandemic declaration. It does not mean the disease is spreading globally or that a worldwide crisis is imminent. It means that a defined health event meets three specific criteria: it is serious, it is unusual or unexpected, and it has the potential to spread internationally and require a coordinated response.

How does Ebola spread?

In practical terms, Ebola transmission occurs in two distinct phases: animal-to-human (also called spillover), and human-to-human. Most outbreaks begin when a person in a high-risk region comes into close contact with an infected animal — most commonly a fruit bat or non-human primate such as a chimpanzee or gorilla — through hunting, handling, or consuming bushmeat. Once the virus enters a human host, it can then pass between people through direct exposure to the bodily fluids of someone who is sick or has recently died from the disease.

How does Ebola spread between people?

Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of a person who is infected and showing symptoms. This includes blood, saliva, sweat, vomit, faeces, urine, breast milk, and semen. The virus enters the body through broken skin or mucous membranes — the eyes, nose, or mouth.

There are four primary transmission routes in human outbreaks:

Direct physical contact with a symptomatic or deceased infected person — including caring for a sick family member without adequate protective equipment
Contact with contaminated objects such as needles, syringes, bedding, or clothing that has been exposed to an infected person's bodily fluids
Exposure during funeral and burial practices — traditional practices involving washing or touching the body of someone who has died from Ebola carry a very high transmission risk, as viral load remains high after death
Healthcare settings — healthcare workers who treat infected patients without appropriate PPE are at significantly elevated risk, particularly through needle-stick injuries or direct fluid contact

It is important to note that a person must be visibly symptomatic to transmit the virus. Someone who has been exposed to Ebola but is not yet showing symptoms cannot pass it on to others. This is a critical distinction between Ebola and respiratory viruses like influenza or COVID-19, where pre-symptomatic transmission is a major driver of spread.

Can Ebola spread through the air?

Ebola is not an airborne virus.

This is one of the most important facts to understand about Ebola. Airborne transmission means a virus can travel through the air as tiny particles or droplets that remain suspended and infectious over distances and time — the mechanism that makes diseases like measles, tuberculosis, and COVID-19 so efficiently transmissible. Ebola does not spread this way.

You cannot contract Ebola by:

Breathing the same air as an infected person
Being in the same room as someone with Ebola
Air conditioning or ventilation systems
Airplanes or public transport, simply by proximity

This is why Ebola, despite its severe fatality rate, does not spread with the same speed or scale as respiratory illnesses. Its transmission requires close, direct physical contact — which also means it is far more containable when proper infection control measures are in place.

Can Ebola spread through casual contact?

Casual, everyday contact does not transmit Ebola.

Shaking hands with, sitting next to, or being in the same household as a person who has Ebola — but who is not yet symptomatic — does not put you at risk. The virus requires direct exposure to bodily fluids from a symptomatic individual for transmission to occur.

How is the Bundibugyo strain transmitted compared to Zaire?

The transmission routes for the Bundibugyo strain are the same as for other Ebola strains — direct contact with bodily fluids of a symptomatic person. However, the difference is that Bundibugyo produces a lower viral load in infected individuals compared to Zaire, which may contribute to its lower fatality rate and may influence — though does not eliminate — transmission risk in close contact settings.

What are the symptoms of Ebola?

Ebola symptoms do not usually appear straight away. After someone is exposed to the virus, symptoms can develop anywhere from 2 to 21 days later, although many people become unwell around 8 to 10 days after exposure. A person is generally not considered contagious until symptoms begin.

What are the early symptoms of Ebola?

Early Ebola symptoms can be difficult to recognise because they may look similar to other infections, including malaria, typhoid, flu-like illnesses or other tropical diseases.

Early symptoms may include:

Sudden fever
Headache
Muscle aches or joint pain
Sore throat
Fatigue or weakness
Nausea

This is one reason Ebola can be hard to detect early, especially in outbreak areas where other illnesses are also common. According to a journal in the Annals of Global, the early phase can begin with non-specific, influenza-like symptoms such as high fever, headache, joint pain, nausea, sore throat and muscle pain.

What symptoms can happen as Ebola progresses?

As the illness progresses, symptoms can become more severe. People may develop:

Ongoing fever
Intense tiredness
Diarrhoea
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Rash
Cough, chest pain or breathing difficulty
Hiccups
Impaired liver or kidney function
Unexplained bruising or bleeding in some cases

The same journal describes that some people may appear to improve briefly around days 7 to 8, before worsening again in more severe cases. This later stage may involve skin changes, respiratory symptoms, cardiovascular distress and shock.

When should someone seek medical help?

Anyone who has recently travelled to an Ebola-affected area, or has had contact with a suspected or confirmed Ebola case, should seek urgent medical advice if symptoms develop within 21 days.

It is important to call ahead before visiting a GP clinic or hospital, so healthcare staff can provide the right advice and prepare safely. This is especially important if symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, unexplained bleeding, severe weakness or worsening illness after travel.

Should Australians be worried about the outbreak?

For most Australians, the current risk of Ebola remains very low, especially if you have not travelled to an affected area or had close contact with someone who may have Ebola.

That said, Ebola is a serious disease, and the current outbreak is being closely monitored by global health authorities, especially since the World Health Organization has declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (which means countries are being encouraged to coordinate surveillance, testing, contact tracing and response measures).

Most people in Australia do not need to be worried in their day-to-day life. However, some groups should be more alert, including:

People planning travel to affected regions
Australians returning from affected areas
Healthcare, aid or emergency workers travelling overseas
People visiting friends or family in outbreak-affected communities
People caring for someone who becomes unwell after travel

The Australian Centre for Disease Control advises travellers to check official travel advice before leaving Australia, avoid outbreak areas, avoid contact with people who have Ebola, and avoid contact with blood, body fluids or contaminated objects from anyone who is unwell.

Practical infection-control steps Australians can take

While the current Ebola outbreak is not something most Australians need to panic about, it is a good reminder that infection control matters — not just for Ebola, but for many illnesses that can spread through travel, shared spaces, workplaces, homes and care environments.

Keep up good hand hygiene

Hand hygiene is one of the simplest and most effective everyday habits. Washing hands with soap and water is especially important after using the bathroom, before eating, after caring for someone who is unwell, and after touching shared surfaces.

When soap and water are not available, bringing along a travel-sized hand sanitiser can be a practical option, especially when travelling, shopping, using public transport or visiting healthcare settings.

Be careful around body fluids and contaminated items

For infections like Ebola, the greatest risk comes from direct contact with blood, vomit, diarrhoea, saliva, sweat or other body fluids from someone who is sick.

Most Australians are unlikely to encounter this risk in everyday life, but the principle still matters. If someone is unwell at home, it is sensible to avoid sharing towels, clean contaminated surfaces carefully, wear gloves when handling soiled items, and wash hands thoroughly afterwards.

Clean high-touch surfaces regularly

High-touch areas can collect germs throughout the day. This includes door handles, phones, light switches, benchtops, bathroom surfaces, shared keyboards, handrails and care equipment.

Regular cleaning and disinfection can help reduce the spread of many common infections, particularly in homes, workplaces and care environments where people may be more vulnerable.

Stay home when unwell and seek advice early

One of the most important steps is also one of the simplest: if you are unwell, stay away from others where possible.

For everyday respiratory or gastro symptoms, this helps reduce spread to family, co-workers, customers and vulnerable people. For anyone who has recently travelled to an outbreak-affected area and develops fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, severe weakness or unusual symptoms, it is important to seek medical advice quickly and call ahead before attending a clinic or hospital.

What healthcare, aged care and support teams can learn from global outbreaks such as this

For healthcare, aged care, disability support and community care teams, global outbreaks are a reminder that preparedness should not only happen during a crisis.

Maintain reliable PPE supplies

Care teams should regularly review their PPE stock levels, expiry dates and product suitability. This may include gloves, masks, respirators, gowns, eye protection and cleaning supplies.

Having the right PPE available before it is urgently needed can help staff respond quickly and safely when illness occurs.

Support correct PPE use and fit

PPE only works properly when it is used correctly. Staff should understand when to use gloves, when to change them, how to remove PPE safely, and why hand hygiene is still needed before and after PPE use.

For respirators such as P2 or N95 masks, fit is especially important. A poorly fitting respirator may allow air to leak around the edges, reducing the protection it provides.

Strengthen cleaning and disinfection routines

Outbreaks often highlight the importance of consistent cleaning, especially in shared and high-touch areas.

Facilities should have clear cleaning schedules, suitable disinfectants, staff training and procedures for managing spills, bodily fluids and contaminated materials.

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Encourage early reporting of illness

Staff, visitors and residents should feel encouraged to report symptoms early. This is especially important in aged care and support settings, where infections can spread quickly and affect people who may be more vulnerable to complications.

Simple steps such as symptom screening, staying home when unwell and escalating unusual symptoms can make a big difference.

Conclusion — What Australians should actually take away from this

Global health emergencies will continue to emerge, and it is the reality of a connected world, shifting ecosystems, and the biological unpredictability of infectious disease. What changes the outcome, every time, is how prepared individuals, communities, healthcare settings, and governments are before the threat arrives.

That preparedness starts with the basics: good hygiene, early symptom awareness, safe cleaning practices, appropriate PPE use, and knowing when to seek medical advice. These steps might have been something you hear time and again, but they are the proven ways that can help reduce the spread of many infections.

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Disclaimer: This blog is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or have concerns about your health, it is important to speak with a qualified healthcare professional. The Aussie Pharma Direct team works hard to provide accurate, up-to-date information and useful content based on reliable sources, reputable health information, and relevant medical research, however, information may change over time and should not be relied on as personal medical advice.