Living for a Healthy Heart, LLC
Jennie E. Johnson RN, PhD
The purpose of this blog is to inform the reader of health-related news that is under reported in the mainstream media. Once again, a scary outbreak of Ebola has occurred. Should Americans be concerned? It’s well to remember that there have been 17 outbreaks since 1976. This blog will describe what is known and recent information provided by the CDC.
As of May 16, 2026, the CDC recorded a total of 246 cases with 86 deaths in an area of Africa, but it’s estimated that the number is >500 currently. Mortality rates vary from 25% to 50% due to the hemorrhagic component of the disease. The virus attacks the vessels causing them to burst or bleed.
The current outbreak is in a dangerous area bordering Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It’s an impoverished region with little healthcare support. Complicating the issue is that the funeral culture requires a great deal of touching the deceased body of a loved one which spreads the disease.
Ebola (Viral Hemorrhagic Fever)
It’s a group of different viruses known as orthoebolaviruses (formerly ebolavirus). It effects humans and nonhumans such as monkeys, chimpanzees and gorillas. It originated from wild animals within the bush country of Africa. Contact with the diseased animal via touching or eating the meat spread it to humans.
Symptoms
Dry symptoms include fever, aches, pains, and fatigue. While wet symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, and unexplained hemorrhagic bleeding. The incubation of the disease may run between 2 and 21 days.
Transmission
It’s spread through direct contact of a sick person with their broken skin, mucous membranes, body fluids of blood, urine, feces, saliva, semen, or any other secretion. It is not spread via airborne! An individual must physically come in contact with the person or animal that has Ebola. It can also be spread when an individual touches someone who has died. Ebola can also be transmitted to humans when coming in contact with infected needles or some other surface that has infected body fluids on it.
There are currently no approved treatments for this strain of Ebola. Therapies that reduce viral loads help, but supportive care is the primary goal while the body heals and eliminates the virus. Individuals with weaker immunity experience extremely high viral loads and are more vulnerable to death. Supportive care, nutritional support, IVs for fluid replacement and oxygen are essential. Antibiotics are used to treat the secondary infections.
Recommendations for the Public
Use caution when traveling to those areas where an outbreak is occurring. The CDC has issued a Level 1 Travel Health Notice for people traveling to Uganda and a Level 3 for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
What To Do If Traveling in an Outbreak Area
—Avoid contact with sick people who have symptoms of fever, muscle pain and rash.
—Avoid contact with blood and other body fluids.
—Avoid materials contaminated with blood or other body fluids of people who are sick.
—Avoid semen from men recovered from Ebola until testing is negative.
—Avoid hospitals in outbreak areas unless you are ill or need care.
—Avoid traditional healers.
—Do not touch dead bodies of Ebola victims.
—Keep away from bats, antelopes and primates and avoid raw meat of unknown animals.
—Avoid caves where bats live.
—Upon return to the US from Ebola areas monitor your health for 21 days and immediately isolate yourself if you develop symptoms.
—Alert healthcare providers before entering any facility if you’ve been in an Ebola infected area.
Remember this is only spread by direct contact with the Ebola patient. It is NOT airborne! The likelihood of spread to the US population is considered very low.
On A Personal Note
Like most of you when I heard of another Ebola outbreak it brought back scary memories of the COVID-19 outbreak we recently endured. However, I’m comforted that one must come in direct physical contact with an infected person to get it. Few of us will ever travel to the Congo or Uganda or eat wild monkey meat.
Thankfully its very unlikely it will spread to us in the Western nations. Its currently isolated in a region of Africa. The CDC is sending teams to major US airports to screen individuals coming from Ebola impacted countries. Travel bans are also being considered. It’s a fluid situation.
For now, it’s important that we pray for Africans who live in a dangerous region with sparse medical care. Let’s pray for treatments to be quickly developed to end the suffering of these poor people. We can be on our knees for their recovery and the safety of the healthcare providers treating them.
If you’d like a quick summary of the current Ebola outbreak and an update on the Hantavirus, I highly recommend following Dr. John Campbell and view his recent Ebola Outbreak podcast. May God end this horrific disease and heal Africans suffering from it.
For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal declares the Lord (Jeremiah 30: 17).
I’m a Christian nurse who helps people navigate the murky waters of healthcare.
References:
“Ebola Disease Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda,” CDC Health Alert Network (May 19, 2026).https://www.cdc.gov/han/php/notices/han00530.htm
Campbell, “Ebola Outbreak,” Dr. John Campbell (May 20, 2026). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOCfvdGiYMs
“Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease in Uganda,” CDC Travelers Health (May 15, 2026).https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/ebola-uganda
“Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo” CDC Travelers Health (May 22, 2026).https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level3/ebola-democratic-republic-of-the-congo
Campbell, Ebola, More Bad News,” Dr. John Campbell (May 26, 2026). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdI5lkFeyz8
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