Why This Site Exists
EbolaQuestions.com was created in May 2026 in response to a fast-growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, caused by Bundibugyo virus. When the WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, millions of people turned to the internet for information — and found a mix of news articles, technical CDC guidance written for clinicians, and social media speculation.
The goal of this site is simple: make authoritative Ebola information accessible to people who are not epidemiologists. Every page is built from primary sources — CDC, WHO, FDA, and peer-reviewed literature — translated into language that is direct, honest, and useful whether you are a worried traveler, a healthcare worker, a journalist, or a parent.
During public health emergencies, misinformation spreads as fast as fear. Accurate information that is accessible to non-specialists helps people make better decisions — whether that means knowing when to seek emergency care, understanding what PPE is required, or recognizing that Ebola is not airborne and a colleague's business trip to DRC does not put you at risk.
What This Site Adds Beyond CDC and WHO
CDC's and WHO's pages are the sources; this site is not a substitute for them and links to them on every page. What it adds is the layer the agency pages leave out:
- The study behind the number, with its interval. CDC says Bundibugyo virus "causes death in about 30% of people." This site gives the pooled estimate that figure rests on — 32.8%, 95% CI 25.8–40.2, from two outbreaks — and shows that the 2026 outbreak is running at 48%, above the interval, with the three candidate explanations.
- Where two good sources disagree, both. CDC and WHO list different sixth provinces for the 2026 outbreak; the 2007 Bundibugyo outbreak has four published case counts; WHO's fact sheet still lists a vaccine regimen whose EU authorisation was withdrawn in May 2026; WHO advises against travel restrictions and the U.S. imposes them. Each is stated with both sources.
- Live surveillance the consumer pages do not summarise. WHO's fortnightly Disease Outbreak News is the primary record of the outbreak; this site reads each report and tabulates what it says — health-worker infections, contact-tracing coverage, vaccine decisions — with each report's own date. CDC's situation chart is fed by a public data file; the history page reads it directly.
- What is not known, and why. No 2026 incubation distribution, no Bundibugyo semen-persistence data, no economic cost estimate, no PARTNERS trial result. Each is stated as a blank with the reason.
- Compared to what. Every clinical page links the network's Virus Risk Perspective and this site's Ebola risk perspective, which put Ebola beside 14 other viruses on exposure, hospitalisation and death.
- Corrections in the open. Every material correction is logged on the corrections page and stated on the page it affects; the most important ones are guarded by an automated check that blocks any edit reintroducing the old wording.
Editorial Standards
Sources
All factual claims on this site are supported by and linked to primary sources. The primary authorities used are:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — the primary U.S. public health authority for Ebola clinical guidance, outbreak surveillance, and travel advisories
- World Health Organization (WHO) — the international authority for outbreak status, PHEIC declarations, and global guidance
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) — for approved treatments and vaccines
- Peer-reviewed literature — principally The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, Nature Microbiology, and MMWR, linked with full citations
- DRC Ministry of Health — for outbreak declarations and situation reports
When sources conflict or guidance has not been updated to reflect the current Bundibugyo virus outbreak, this is noted explicitly on the relevant page. We do not fill knowledge gaps with inference.
What We Do Not Do
- We do not publish speculation, unverified claims, or social media-sourced information
- We do not suggest that traditional remedies or unproven treatments are effective
- We do not claim to provide medical advice. This site is for information only.
- We do not overstate the risk to populations with low exposure probability
- We do not understate the risk to healthcare workers, travelers, or anyone with direct exposure
Monthly Content Review Process
Ebola guidance changes, especially during an active outbreak. Travel advisory levels can shift in days. The WHO PHEIC status can be updated at any Emergency Committee meeting. Treatment recommendations evolve as data accumulates.
To keep content accurate, every clinical page on this site undergoes an automated monthly review on the 1st of each month. The process:
- Relevant CDC and WHO source pages are fetched live
- Current page content is compared against the live source text
- Factual claims that are directly contradicted by current source content are corrected
- The "Last reviewed" date and schema metadata are updated to reflect the review
Changes are only made where the source content directly contradicts a specific claim. Additions, style rewrites, and changes based on inference are excluded. This conservative approach prevents unvalidated updates during rapidly evolving outbreak situations.
In addition to the automated review, pages are manually reviewed whenever significant guidance changes are published by CDC or WHO — for example, a PHEIC status change or a new FDA emergency authorization.
Limitations & Important Notices
This Is Not Medical Advice
If you believe you may have been exposed to Ebola or have symptoms consistent with Ebola virus disease, do not travel to a hospital without calling first. Contact your healthcare provider by phone, or call the CDC Emergency Operations Center at (770) 488-7100.
Bundibugyo Virus: Limited Countermeasures
The 2026 DRC outbreak is caused by Bundibugyo virus — an established but far less-studied ebolavirus species. It is not a novel or unknown virus, but the one licensed Ebola vaccine (Ervebo) and the two approved antibody treatments (Inmazeb, Ebanga) were developed and approved against Zaire ebolavirus, and their efficacy against Bundibugyo virus is not established — the FDA labels say so in those words, and WHO's SAGE concluded in August 2026 that Ervebo's efficacy against Bundibugyo virus "remains unknown." Genuine scientific uncertainty therefore exists about vaccine and treatment response for this outbreak. Where that uncertainty exists, it is stated explicitly — we do not claim certainty that the science does not yet support.
Time-Sensitive Information
Outbreak status, travel advisory levels, and PHEIC classifications change rapidly during active outbreaks. While this site is reviewed monthly and updated when major changes occur, always verify current status directly with:
Disclosures
Amazon Affiliate Program
Amazon Associates: EbolaQuestions.com is enrolled in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As of September 2026 no affiliate link appears on any indexable page of this site — affiliate content is switched off network-wide behind a single flag and has stayed off. If it returns, product selections will be editorial rather than commission-driven, every affiliate link will carry a disclosure beside it, and this paragraph will be updated the day it changes.
Affiliate products on this site are selected editorially, not based on commission rates. Products are included because they are relevant to the page's topic — such as PPE for healthcare workers, preparedness supplies for travelers, or books about Ebola outbreaks. We do not feature products we would not recommend to a family member.
Advertising
As of September 2026 this site displays no advertising. It remains registered with Google AdSense and ads could be re-enabled; if that happens, this paragraph will say so on the day it changes. Any ads served would be automatic, unrelated to the medical information here, and not editorial endorsements.
Authorship
Andy Wilcox — Founder & Author
Written and researched by Andy Wilcox, the founder of EbolaQuestions.com. Andy launched this site in May 2026 in direct response to the WHO PHEIC declaration for the DRC Ituri Province Ebola outbreak. He is not a physician — his work is the product of disciplined primary-source research drawing on 30+ years as a consultant, operating executive, and investor.
His editorial approach emphasizes strict primary-source attribution (CDC, WHO, FDA, peer-reviewed literature) and explicit acknowledgment of uncertainty where the science is incomplete — particularly relevant for the 2026 Bundibugyo virus outbreak, where questions about the efficacy of Zaire-targeted vaccines and treatments remain open.
Content Review & Accuracy
All clinical content on this site is developed from and directly linked to primary sources (CDC, WHO, FDA, peer-reviewed journals). Each page displays the date it was last reviewed. The automated monthly review process compares every clinical page against live CDC and WHO source content, correcting claims directly contradicted by current authority guidance.
This site does not provide medical advice. Content is for informational purposes only. For clinical decisions, always consult a qualified healthcare provider. For urgent health emergencies, call 911 or your local emergency services.
Editorial & Medical Review Policy
- Author: This site is written and researched by Andy Wilcox, an independent researcher, not a physician. Nothing on this site is medical advice.
- Primary-source research: Content is based on peer-reviewed studies and official guidance from bodies such as the CDC and WHO — not summaries of other websites.
- Verifiable citations: We cite specific studies and primary sources so readers can verify claims themselves.
- Kept current: Content is reviewed and updated when new evidence changes the picture.
- Consult a professional: For personal medical decisions, readers should consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Contact
For corrections, questions, or to report a factual error, please use the contact page. Factual corrections supported by primary source evidence are taken seriously and reviewed promptly.
For press or media inquiries about Ebola virus disease, we recommend contacting the CDC Media Relations office or the WHO Communications team for official statements.
