The Current Ebola Outbreak Is A Global Threat. A Doctor Explains

InnovationHealthcareThe Current Ebola Outbreak Is A Global Threat. A Doctor ExplainsByArthur L. Kellermann,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. health policy, medical and public health leaderFollow AuthorJun 02, 2026, 08:29am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.MONGBWALU, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - MAY 24: A health worker wearing protective equipment crouches beside the coffin of a suspected Ebola victim during safe burial procedures outside a family home in the community of Mongbwaluon May 24, 2026 in Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of Congo. (Photo by Michel Lunanga/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is “deeply alarming,” according to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF – a.k.a. Doctors Without Borders). In a statement, MSF deputy director, Dr Alan Gonzales said, “Never before has an Ebola outbreak recorded so many cases so soon after its declaration…Like everyone in the affected areas, MSF teams are witnessing a response that has not yet caught up to the rapid spread of the epidemic." The outbreak has already reached Uganda and threatens neighboring states, including war-ravaged South Sudan. At present, there are more than 1,000 suspected cases in the DRC, and at least 246 deaths. Uganda has reported nine confirmed cases and one death. The actual totals may be higher. There are six reasons why this outbreak merits everyone’s attention.1. Ebola Is One Of The World’s Deadliest Infectious DiseasesEbola is a severe, often fatal illness. The family of viruses that cause it is transmitted to people from fruit bats, porcupines, and non-human primates. Once someone is infected, the disease spreads through direct contact with their secretions, blood, or other bodily fluids, whether the person is living or dead. It can also be transmitted through contact with contaminated surface...