Just three years after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), another deadly viral threat is once again drawing global attention.

On May 5, 2026, health authorities received alerts about clusters of an unidentified severe illness in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Subsequent investigations linked the outbreak to Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, a lesser-known but dangerous form of Ebola that carries an estimated fatality rate of around 40 per cent.

While the WHO has classified the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern, it has not yet met the criteria for a pandemic under the International Health Regulations (2005). Nevertheless, public health experts warn that countries must remain vigilant, particularly those with dense populations and existing burdens of infectious diseases.

The challenge with Ebola is that it often begins like an ordinary fever. Patients may initially develop a high temperature, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, weakness, loss of appetite, and fatigue. These symptoms can easily resemble malaria, dengue or enteric fever, illnesses that are already common across many parts of India.

That similarity worries experts. A patient carrying Ebola could initially be mistaken for a routine fever case, delaying diagnosis and increasing the risk of further spread.

"RTPCR is the only gold-standard laboratory test that can ease the differential diagnosis of Ebola and vector-borne diseases," public health experts emphasise.

Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), the same testing technology widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic, can accurately identify the virus. However, expanding the test capacity requires trained personnel, uninterrupted electricity, specialised laboratory equipment, personal protective equipment (PPE), quality assurance systems, and safe biomedical waste disposal.

Unlike measles or COVID, EVD spreads through direct contact, not through the air.

Instead, the virus spreads via direct contact with the blood, vomit, diarrhoea, sweat, and other bodily fluids of infected individuals. It can also spread through contaminated objects, unsafe injections, sexual contact, and the direct handling of deceased Ebola patients' bodies. Scientific studies have also documented transmissions from infected animals, such as fruit bats, chimpanzees, and gorillas.

Experts say India's biggest defence may already exist, in the form of lessons learned during the COVID years. Thermal scanners at airports, self-declaration forms, contact tracing, community surveillance, isolation facilities, and rapid reporting systems proved valuable during the pandemic, and they could once again become critical tools if imported cases emerge.

Particular concern surrounds severely Severely Acute Malnourished (SAM) children covered under Anganwadi services. Public health research consistently shows that malnutrition weakens the body's ability to fight infections. An outbreak affecting communities with large numbers of undernourished children could place additional strain on local health systems.

The Bundibugyo strain presents another challenge. Unlike the Zaire strain of Ebola, which has approved vaccines and therapies, no licensed vaccine or specific treatment currently exists for Bundibugyo Ebola. Medical care therefore focuses largely on supportive treatments, including fluid replacement, electrolyte balance, oxygen support, and managing symptoms.

Health authorities stress that the immediate priority is to contain the outbreak at its source through surveillance, testing, contact tracing, and isolation. At the same time, countries must strengthen preparedness plans before the virus reaches new borders.

"We need to move on and use our lessons from COVID times as a ready reckoner to fight this deadly virus."

For ordinary citizens, the message is simple. Awareness, hygiene, the early reporting of unusual symptoms, and support for public health measures remain the strongest safeguards. Ebola may not spread through the air, but history has repeatedly shown that infectious diseases exploit gaps in preparedness. The best time to strengthen your defences is before a crisis arrives.

About the Author: 

Dr Priyam Singh is a public health physician serving as the Medical Officer In Charge, Health Department, Narela, under the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). With extensive experience in community healthcare, disease surveillance, preventive medicine, and public health administration, Dr Singh is actively involved in strengthening healthcare delivery at the grassroots level. Her work focuses on infectious disease control, health awareness, immunisation programmes, outbreak preparedness, and improving access to essential healthcare services for urban and peri-urban populations. Through her writings, she seeks to translate complex medical and public health issues into clear, practical insights that empower both policymakers and the general public.The opinion expessed in the article does not reflect that of Drug Today.