Why the Ebola Outbreak Is More Concerning Than Hantavirus for Health Experts

May 20, 2026 - 03:57

A fast-moving Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been declared a global health emergency, drawing sharp concern from international health officials. While hantavirus infections have also made headlines recently, experts say the current Ebola strain poses a far greater threat due to its transmission patterns and higher fatality rate.

The virus involved in this outbreak is the Bundibugyo species, a less common but still deadly form of Ebola. Unlike hantavirus, which typically spreads through rodent droppings and requires close contact with infected animals, Ebola spreads easily between humans through direct contact with bodily fluids. This makes it much harder to contain in densely populated areas or regions with weak healthcare systems.

Symptoms of the Bundibugyo virus include sudden fever, severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and in many cases, internal and external bleeding. The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days, meaning infected individuals can travel long distances before showing signs of illness.

Health officials are particularly worried about the outbreak's location near major transportation routes. Cross-border movement increases the risk of the virus reaching urban centers or neighboring countries. In contrast, hantavirus outbreaks tend to remain localized and do not spread efficiently from person to person.

Vaccines and treatments exist for some Ebola strains, but the Bundibugyo species has not been as extensively studied. This leaves health workers with fewer tools to stop its spread. The World Health Organization has urged rapid containment measures, including contact tracing and isolation of suspected cases, to prevent a repeat of the 2014 West Africa epidemic that killed over 11,000 people.