Ebola

Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a rare but severe infectious disease that is classified as a haemorrhagic fever. The disease can lead to serious illness and often to death.

There are six different types of Ebola virus, three of which cause major outbreaks, particularly in Central Africa: the Zaire, Sudan and Bundibugyo viruses.

Outside of Africa, there have so far only been imported cases brought back by returning travellers (often healthcare workers).

The virus reservoir fruit bats (chiroptera), which are natural hosts of the Ortho ebolavirus. The virus can enter the human population when people come into close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as fruit bats, chimpanzees, gorillas, monkeys, forest antelope or porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest.

Ebola spreads between people through direct contact (via broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood or bodily fluids of a person who is ill with or has died from Ebola, as well as through objects or surfaces contaminated with the bodily fluids (such as blood, faeces or vomit) of an very ill or deceased patient.

People cannot transmit the disease before they have symptoms, and they remain infectious for as long as their blood contains the virus.

Health and care workers have frequently been infected whilst treating Ebola patients. This occurs through close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not strictly observed.

Funeral ceremonies involving direct contact with the body of a deceased person can also contribute to the transmission of Ebola.

Symptoms usually appear suddenly and may include the following:

• fever,
• fatigue,
• muscle pain,
• headache,
• sore throat.

As the disease progresses, symptoms may occur:

• vomiting,
• diarrhoea,
• skin rash,
• internal or external bleeding.

Despite the perception that bleeding is a common symptom, this is less frequent and can occur later in the disease. 

Symptoms can appear between 2 and 21 days after exposure but usually appear after 8 to 10 days.

No. Ebola can be fatal in 25% to 90% of cases, although the rate varies depending on the strain; however, recovery is possible, particularly with early medical care and supportive treatment.

A very large outbreak of Ebola is currently spreading in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); two cases have been imported into Kampala in Uganda, and a further case has been diagnosed in Goma in the Kivu region, near the border with Rwanda. The first known cases were reported at the end of April 2026. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC since the virus was discovered in 1976. To date, more than a hundred deaths linked to the virus have been reported, although it remains difficult to assess the true scale of the outbreak due to population movements, ongoing insecurity and restricted access to certain areas affected by the humanitarian crisis and armed violence.

• The outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a rarer variant for which there is currently neither an authorised vaccine nor an approved specific treatment.
• On 17 May 2026, the WHO declared the situation a public health emergency of international concern, a mechanism designed to strengthen international coordination and support in responding to serious cross-border health events; at the same time, the WHO assessed the risk of further international spread as remaining low.

At present, the risk to the population in Luxembourg is considered to be very low.

Ebola does not spread easily in everyday settings. Transmission requires close physical contact with an infected person or with contaminated bodily fluids.

No. Ebola is not an airborne disease.

Transmission occurs through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, not through normal breathing or casual contact.

No.

The diseases differ in their clinical presentation: a severe case of COVID-19 leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome, whereas Ebola is a haemorrhagic fever. COVID-19 can be transmitted by asymptomatic individuals, whereas Ebola is only transmitted by people who are very ill or even deceased. The mortality rate for Ebola (25 to 90%) is also significantly higher than for COVID-19 (4 to 11% of hospitalised cases).

Vaccines exist for some Ebola virus strains, particularly the Zaire Ebola virus.

However, vaccines are not available for all Ebola virus strains. This applies in particular to the Bundibugyo virus, which is causing the current outbreak.

There is no universal cure for all types of the Ebola virus.

Treatment consists mainly of:

• supportive care,
• hydration,
• treatment of symptoms,
• close medical monitoring.

Early treatment significantly improves the chances of survival.

People at higher risk include:

• healthcare workers who do not wear appropriate protective equipment
• family members caring for a sick person
• people who have direct physical contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals
• people preparing dead bodies for funerals
• laboratory staff handling infected samples when appropriate protective equipment is not available.

There is a national plan in place at the HCPN and the Health Directorate. This was drafted in 2015 during the first Ebola PHEIC. It is currently being revised.

The plan involves numerous stakeholders, including hospitals, in particular the CHL, and the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, laboratories, the CGDIS, the airport, Luxembourg Air Rescue, the European Reference Laboratory, the police … Various scenarios have been planned for, stocks of necessary protective equipment are being reviewed, and staff are being trained in the correct use of protective equipment.

Travellers (mainly humanitarian aid workers from non-governmental organisations) returning to or travelling to the affected area are being informed.

No, it has been shown in the past that airport screening upon arrival is not effective.

As symptoms can appear up to 21 days after exposure, travellers from the affected region should be advised to be vigilant, to watch out for symptoms, to self-isolate if symptoms develop, and to notify the health authorities (inspection sanitaire).

Travelers returning from affected regions should:

• monitor their health,
• isolate themselves and call the health authorities (inspection sanitaire) if symptoms appear.

People without symptoms are not contagious.

Key public health measures include:

• rapid detection,
• isolation of cases,
• contact tracing,
• laboratory testing,
• infection prevention and control,
• safe patient transport,
• public education and community engagement.

No, Ebola does not spread through drinking water or food.

However, contact with the bodily fluids of infected wild animals may pose a risk in affected regions.

Luxembourg health authorities closely follow:

• updates from the World Health Organization (WHO),
• the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC),
• and international public health networks.

Preparedness plans and coordination mechanisms are reviewed regularly.

No special measures are currently recommended for the general population in Europe.

Standard hygiene measures remain important :

• regular hand hygiene,
• avoiding contact with people who are ill,
• following official public health advice.

Healthcare professionals dealing with infectious diseases receive regular training in the use of adequate personal protective equipment.

Reliable information is available from:

• the World Health Organization (WHO),
• the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC),
• the national public health authorities.

The public is urged to avoid misinformation and to rely on official sources.