<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Global health authorities are rushing aid to an area of Africa where </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/ebola-outbreak-who-declares-global-health-emergency-over-outbreak-in-congo-and-uganda/ff09de90-acae-434b-a102-87eea224d46f" rel="" target="_blank" title="an Ebola disease outbreak has claimed dozens of lives"><span>an Ebola disease outbreak has claimed dozens of lives</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>At least 80 people, including three health workers, are dead, and hundreds have been diagnosed with a rare strain of the disease-causing virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Uganda.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There are fears the disease could spread further, with containment strategies now in place.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-politics-live-updates-donald-trump-iran-deal-may-18-iran-israel-middle-east-war-blog-rolling-updates/d6095f36-8d4c-426c-894f-cb7c5216861c" target="_blank"><strong><span>Senator says Trump 'stupid enough' to fight Israel's war</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Here's what you need to know about the disease and how it's spread.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>What is Ebola?</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ebola disease is caused by a group of viruses. </span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/ebola-outbreak-everything-you-need-to-know-who-health-emergency-explained/b2e95f2f-0bf6-49d0-8a8a-98ba71701bf4" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Three of them are known to cause large outbreaks: Ebola virus, Sudan virus and Bundibugyo virus, the WHO says.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which is rare and has been responsible for only two previously reported outbreaks.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ebola was first identified in 1976, and is named, along with one of the viruses that cause it, after the Ebola River in what is now the DRC. The viruses that cause it are native to sub-Saharan Africa.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>STATE OF ORIGIN LIVE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/state-of-origin/2026-teams-game-one-live-news-predictions-round-11-updates-nsw-blues-qld-maroons-predictions-confirmed-lists-20260515-p5zxu4.html" target="_blank"><strong><span>Ten debutants named as Blues and Maroons make gambles</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>How is Ebola disease spread?</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A family of fruit bats is believed to be the natural hosts of the viruses that cause Ebola, and other animals like apes and monkeys can also be infected, according to the WHO.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>People can be infected by these animals, and the viruses can spread from person to person through contact with the body fluids like blood, faeces, semen, or vomit of an infected person, or surfaces that have been contaminated by body fluids.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Bundibugyo virus, which health authorities say is responsible for the outbreak, is rare and different from the Ebola Zaire strain that has been dominant in all of Congo's past 17 outbreaks except one.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>WATCH:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/fighter-jets-collide-us-air-force-base-air-show-idaho/27e0ff43-7d41-4a9a-b810-a82dd0b0ffe4" target="_blank"><strong><span>Horror moment fighter jets collide mid-air</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The virus was first detected in Uganda's Bundibugyo district during a 2007-2008 outbreak that killed 37 people out of 149 cases.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The second time was in 2012 in an outbreak in Isiro, Congo, where 57 cases and 29 deaths were reported.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>How deadly is Ebola?</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Symptoms appear from two days to three weeks after exposure, though they usually emerge within about a week, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Illnesses begin with flu-like symptoms, including fever, aches, fatigue, and a sore throat.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Later, patients can experience gastrointestinal problems, rashes, seizures and bleeding.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>NATIONAL:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/federal-politics-australia-new-budget-poll-reveals-mixed-verdict-for-anthony-albanese-angus-taylor/87438a42-390b-4a9c-9c96-5fe1b52e07b7" target="_blank"><strong><span>Taylor edges ahead of Albanese as preferred PM after 'difficult' Budget</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The average fatality rate for Ebola disease varies on which virus causes it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Ebola virus strain has a fatality rate of up to 90 per cent, compared to 50 per cent for the Sudan virus strain and about 30 per cent for the Bundibugyo virus strain, according to the US Centres for Disease Control.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola crisis resulted in over 11,000 deaths from more than 28,000 cases.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Are there vaccines or treatments available?</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Currently, the only approved vaccine or treatment applies to the strain of the disease caused by the Ebola virus.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus, as in this outbreak, has no vaccine.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Authorities focus on containment, mass testing, and quarantining to try to stop the spread.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Is Ebola in Australia?</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There has never been an officially diagnosed case of Ebola disease in Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The government, however, considers it such a drastic potential health threat that it is able to invoke </span><a href="https://www.cdc.gov.au/diseases/ebola-virus-disease" rel="" target="_blank" title="special health and safety powers"><span>special health and safety powers</span></a><span> should such a diagnosis be made.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This even applies to people seeking to enter the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Should we panic?</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The World Health Organisation has declared the Ebola disease outbreak a public health emergency of international concern</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>WHO said the outbreak doesn't meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency like COVID-19, and advised against the closure of international borders.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>With Associated Press.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> 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