"It Has Finally Crossed Borders"... Greater Fear Due to Delayed Detection, No Treatment for Variant Ebola [Reading Science]

WHO Declares International Public Health Emergency as Outbreak Spreads in Congo and Uganda

"Doesn't Spread Like COVID-19, but More Deadly"

Medical Staff Infections and Diagnostic Gaps Raise Alarm

There is neither a vaccine nor a treatment. Yet, it has already crossed borders.

On May 20, 2026, travelers are arriving at the international arrivals terminal of Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali, Indonesia. The Indonesian Ministry of Health stated that authorities are closely monitoring travelers arriving from countries affected by the Ebola outbreak. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

On May 17 (local time), the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) over the spread of the 'Bundibugyo' variant of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

PHEIC is the highest level of international health alert that WHO can issue. It serves to strengthen surveillance, quarantine, and diagnostic systems in each country, and to promote international cooperation. However, it is different in concept from a "pandemic declaration," which refers to a global outbreak like COVID-19.

According to data released by WHO on May 16 (local time), at least eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases, and more than 80 suspected deaths have been reported in Ituri Province, Congo. Moreover, an infected person who traveled from Congo has been confirmed in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, meaning cross-border transmission has already begun.

The bigger problem is that this outbreak is not caused by the Zaire strain of Ebola, for which existing vaccines are available, but by the much rarer and less-studied 'Bundibugyo Ebola virus (BDBV)'.

In 2019, at an International Rescue Committee (IRC) clinic set up in a refugee settlement in western Uganda, a female refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo was undergoing tests for Ebola symptoms. Photo by AP / Yonhap News Agency

Although there have been assessments that infectious disease response capabilities have improved since COVID-19, this outbreak—driven by a rare variant for which there are effectively no vaccines or treatments—exposes continuing gaps in the international public health system.

This is why experts are taking the current situation very seriously. It is not simply because of the fatality rate. Analysts point out that there are multiple intertwined factors: the possibility that infections went undetected for a significant period, cross-border movement, infections among medical personnel, and the vulnerability of local healthcare systems.

"It Doesn't Spread Like COVID-19" ... But Why Is It Still Dangerous?

Ebola is not a virus that spreads rapidly through the air like COVID-19. Most infections occur through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person, or with contaminated materials.

Experts also caution against excessive fear. Vinod Balasubramaniam, a molecular virologist and professor at Monash University Malaysia, told the Science and Media Korea (SMK), "Ebola does not spread like COVID-19 or the flu," and explained, "With early response, isolation, and contact tracing, it is a sufficiently controllable infectious disease."

Ebola virus. Provided by Wikipedia

Nevertheless, the reason WHO has issued its highest-level international health alert is because of "invisible transmission."

Emma Thomson, professor at the Virus Research Center at the University of Glasgow, UK, commented, "There have been cases where initial diagnostic tests came back negative," adding, "This suggests that the outbreak may have gone undetected for some time."

In fact, WHO has reported that it took about four weeks from the appearance of the first suspected patient to laboratory confirmation. During that time, the virus likely spread along mining worker migration routes and cross-border transportation networks.

Experts are particularly alarmed by the infection of medical personnel, seeing it as a serious warning sign. At least four deaths among healthcare workers have been reported so far, indicating that infection control within hospitals is not functioning properly.

Professor Thomson pointed out, "Infection among medical personnel signifies in-hospital transmission and a failure of infection control," adding, "It is a warning that the healthcare system itself could become a pathway for the spread of infection."

"What's Scarier Now Is Not the Virus, but the Collapsed System"

Experts cite the "vulnerability of local conditions" as the key risk factor in this situation.

The current epicenter in eastern Congo is an area plagued by armed conflict, political instability, and severely inadequate medical infrastructure. The lack of road networks and diagnostic systems makes it difficult to trace infected individuals.

Torsten Feldt, a tropical medicine specialist at University Hospital Düsseldorf, Germany, warned, "The early symptoms of Ebola resemble malaria or common febrile illnesses, making it easy to miss cases in the initial stages," and added, "There is a high likelihood that there are already a large number of undetected contacts."

To make matters worse, Congo and its neighboring countries are also responding to mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) at the same time. While the WHO and Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have taken action, the burden on local healthcare systems is already considerable.

The biggest problem is the lack of a suitable vaccine. The currently approved Ebola vaccine, 'Ervebo', was developed targeting the Zaire strain responsible for the 2014–2016 West African outbreak. However, its protective efficacy against the current Bundibugyo variant has not been proven.

MSD (Merck & Co.)'s Ebola vaccine 'Ervebo'. The Asia Business Daily DB

Adrian Esterman, a biostatistician and professor at the University of Adelaide, Australia, explained, "Vaccine research for the Bundibugyo variant is still at the preclinical stage," and added, "Discussions on developing a pan-Ebola vaccine are underway, but there are no candidates yet that can actually be used."

Experts stress that what is needed now is not the spread of fear, but early diagnosis and transparent risk communication.

Kim Youngwook, a professor and Communication & Media Fellow at Ewha Womans University, said, "With high-risk infectious diseases, it is important to clearly explain what is known and what is still uncertain rather than concealing uncertainties," and added, "The public should be encouraged to participate in the response based on understanding, not fear."

WHO has stated that the current situation does not yet meet the criteria for a "pandemic emergency." This is because Ebola, unlike respiratory viruses such as COVID-19, has relatively limited transmissibility.

However, experts warn that this incident serves as another wake-up call. A vaccine and treatment system that only targets well-known viruses is inadequate to prevent new variants and rare infectious diseases.

Natsuko Imai, head of epidemiological research at the Wellcome Trust in the UK, emphasized, "The global risk remains low for now, but the situation is certainly concerning," and added, "What is needed right now is international cooperation and early response."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.