Ask the expert: What do we need to know about this Ebola outbreak

International health officials are closely tracking a new outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The outbreak has grown rapidly, with hundreds of suspected cases and more than 200 suspected deaths now being reported. The World Health Organization says the outbreak is “outpacing” response efforts.

Subhashis Mitra, an infectious disease physician at MSU Health Care, associate professor in the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and interim division chief in the Division of Infectious Diseases, explains this strain of the disease and if it is likely to impact people in the U.S.

What is Ebola and how does it affect people?

Ebola is caused by a virus. There are six known strains, and four of them cause illness in people. The most recent outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain.

All Ebola viruses can cause a high body temperature and possible bleeding. Symptoms start with fever, chills, fatigue and muscle aches. These are followed by gastrointestinal, or GI, problems, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Patients can get dehydrated and may develop some degree of bleeding due to damage to blood vessels. Rapid fluid loss can lead to other problems like a drop in blood pressure and impaired kidney and liver functions. Ebola also affects the central nervous system, and this can result in confusion, irritability and aggression.

Are people in the U.S. at risk?

The risk of infection in the U.S. is low. The Bundibugyo virus is relatively inefficient in terms of transmission. The only way to get it is exposure to infected bodily fluids of someone who is symptomatic.

Health officials also have experience screening people for Ebola and other pathogens. As fever is one of the first symptoms of Ebola disease, it is easy and relatively efficient to screen people coming into the country with touchless thermometers.

Also, as of May 18, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention implemented enhanced screening and monitoring for individuals arriving from areas affected by the Bundibugyo outbreak. The majority of people in the United States are not at any risk of Ebola right now. This is why the news is reporting that flights are being diverted. If a person on board has been in an area where the Bundibugyo virus is active, that flight is likely to be sent to a city where health officials are prepared to diagnose and treat this illness.

How is Ebola transmitted?

Ebola doesn’t spread through casual contact like sitting next to someone on a bus or plane. It only spreads when there is direct contact with infected bodily fluids like blood, vomit, diarrhea, semen or breast milk. It can also be transmitted from the bodily fluids of a patient who has died.

We often call Ebola a caregiver disease because healthcare workers are often infected if they don’t have adequate personal protective equipment.

How is Ebola different than COVID-19?

There are two key differences between Ebola and COVID. First, COVID spreads efficiently through the air while Ebola transmission requires close contact with infected bodily fluids. Second, COVID can spread before symptoms appear. Ebola does not spread before symptoms develop. Ebola is most contagious in the later stage of the illness when people have GI issues and bleeding.

What is the timeframe between exposure and illness?

When someone is infected with Ebola, symptoms may appear within a few days or up to three weeks after exposure. If someone remains symptom-free after 21 days, they are generally considered unlikely to have contracted Ebola.

How is illness from Bundibugyo treated?

The most important thing for a person infected with Bundibugyo is to seek care quickly. Once things stabilize, people usually make a good recovery. While there is a vaccine and monoclonal antibody treatment for one Ebola strain, we don’t have these interventions for Bundibugyo.