Professor Halawani to Al-Madina: The current spread of Ebola is geographically limited and does not have the biological capacity to spread globally.

Professor and infection control consultant Professor Mohamed Abdel-Rahman Halwani confirmed to Al-Madina that, at a time when attention is turning to the new outbreak of the Ebola virus in Central Africa, the Bundibugyo strain stands out as one of the most worrying viruses among public health experts. This rare strain, which had not been studied in depth previously due to its limited spread, like the Zaire and Sudan strains, has proven to be responsible for causing the current epidemic, and its danger comes not only from the death rate, but from its biological nature, which causes widespread systemic inflammation. A vascular disorder and a coagulation disorder may result in multi-organ failure and then death.
He said that what complicates the situation is that the first symptoms are not specific, as the disease begins with fever, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain, in addition to diarrhea or vomiting, and this clinical picture matches common diseases in the region such as malaria and typhoid, which makes early detection of cases a great challenge, and gives the virus an opportunity to spread before the health system realizes what it is facing. Although diagnosis relies on advanced laboratory techniques such as PCR and genome sequencing, these tests are often limited to a few central laboratories, while several African countries suffer. The limited capabilities and lack of supplies, the weakness of the cold chain, and the difficulty of transporting samples, which leads to a delay in confirming cases for entire days.
He pointed out that in the midst of this scene, health workers remain the most vulnerable to infection, as they are the first to encounter cases before their nature is known, and any shortage of protective equipment or delay in diagnosis puts them in the direct front line. Although some vaccines and treatments developed for other strains of Ebola may provide cross-protection with this strain, reliance on them must be based on clear experimental data, not just genetic similarity between them, as the Bundibugyo strain shows that the danger does not lie only in the virus itself, but in the basic gaps that allow it to spread. By spreading similar symptoms, late diagnosis, lack of supplies, and insufficient protection for medical teams, and despite all this, the fear of a repeat of the Corona pandemic is unlikely because Ebola is not a rapidly spreading respiratory virus like Corona, so the possibility of it turning into a global pandemic is very low, but administrative confusion, weak coordination, lack of supplies, and delayed reporting could repeat the scenes of chaos that we saw in 2020 within any unprepared health system, and currently with this strain, the Bundibugyo strain, the death rate does not exceed 34–40%, compared to the Zaire strain, which ranges from 70–90%. But the surprise lies in the current outbreak, as the speed of transmission within the community is higher than expected, especially in border areas with commercial activity.
He continued that there are field reports indicating that some cases appeared only 12-14 days after exposure, and this gives the virus an opportunity to spread. An increase in digestive symptoms such as severe diarrhea, vomiting, and rapid dehydration was observed, which led to a delay in confirming the diagnosis. Due to the weak infrastructure in the Central African Republic, the outbreak increased, and its open borders with the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan created an ideal environment for the transmission of the virus through fishermen, traders, and displaced persons, which makes controlling the outbreak difficult without Direct international support, in addition to the widespread spread of misinformation and superstitions in some African societies, where the disease is sometimes interpreted as “witchcraft” or “curse,” which prompts people to hide cases or refuse to transfer patients to hospitals, and leads to dangerous practices such as washing corpses by hand. Together, these factors make the current outbreak likely to expand among these countries, unless urgent measures are taken to enhance surveillance, support laboratories, and intensify community awareness in the affected countries.