WHO declares Ebola emergency: Why Ebola is deadly, how it attacks you

The World Health Organization’s decision to declare the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern is not just a warning about numbers. It is a warning about speed, fragility and how quickly a local outbreak can become a global problem.

Firstpost spoke with Dr Rohit Garg, Infectious Disease Specialist, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, who shared his expert insights on how Ebola is so deadly and what it does to your body.

The rare Ebola strain driving the current outbreak

According to Dr Garg, the current crisis is fueled by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola - a less common but deadly form that experts say is poorly understood compared to the Zaire strain that caused the devastating West African outbreak from 2014 to 2016.

So far, the WHO estimates, there have been only a handful of laboratory-confirmed cases officially identified. But dozens more deaths are still under investigation in vulnerable areas around the Congo-Uganda border, raising concerns that the virus may already have been silently circulating before health systems detected it.

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'One of the most aggressive viral infections known to medicine'

For infectious disease experts, the fear is not just the spread - but what Ebola actually does to the human body once it gets in.

“Ebola is one of the most aggressive viral infections known to medicine, attacking multiple organ systems at the same time,” says Dr Garg.

The virus is initially spread through contact with infected bodily fluids. Once inside, it attacks immune cells and the lining of blood vessels, triggering what Dr Garg describes as “an over-the-top inflammatory response”.

“In serious cases, the body’s own immune system starts to cause widespread tissue damage,” he said.

How Ebola spreads and devastates the body

Ebola is not a respiratory virus like Covid-19 or influenza. Instead, it spreads through contact with infected blood, saliva, vomit, sweat, contaminated medical equipment, or unsafe caregiving and burial practices.

But once the infection advances, the damage can become catastrophic.

Dr Garg explains that Ebola damages blood vessels so severely that blood begins leaking from the body, causing internal bleeding, fluid loss, shock and eventually multi-organ failure.

“Within days, the liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract and even the brain can become involved,” he mentions.

The body is pushed to the edge of collapse: Dr Garg

According to Dr Garg, one of Ebola’s most dangerous effects is the way it disrupts the body’s clotting mechanisms.

“In many patients, the virus affects the body’s clotting mechanisms,” he states. “That is why some patients bleed uncontrollably from their nose, gums, stomach or injection sites.”

He added that severe dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and septic shock can rapidly worsen the situation.

“Severe dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and septic shock push the body to the edge of collapse,” Dr Garg warns.

The disease often begins with symptoms that resemble many common infections - fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain or sore throat - before rapidly progressing in severe cases to vomiting, diarrhoea, breathing difficulties, bleeding complications and neurological deterioration.

Why healthcare worker infections are especially worrying

One of the most alarming developments in the current outbreak has been infections among healthcare workers.

“This is a red flag in Ebola outbreaks,” Dr Garg said. “When you start seeing infections in healthcare workers, that tells you there are gaps in infection-control systems and increases the risk of amplification in hospitals.”

The danger becomes even greater in regions already struggling with conflict, displacement, fragile sanitation infrastructure and limited access to diagnostics - conditions that continue to affect parts of eastern Congo.

Mortality rates remain frighteningly high

Dr Garg, in conversation with us, states that historically, Ebola outbreaks have recorded mortality rates ranging from 30 per cent to nearly 90 per cent depending on the strain involved, speed of detection and access to supportive treatment.

The Bundibugyo strain responsible for the current outbreak has previously been linked to mortality rates of around 30 to 50 per cent.

We can’t think about infectious diseases as geographic events anymore: Dr Garg

The WHO has clarified that the current outbreak does not yet constitute a pandemic-level emergency. However, the declaration is aimed at strengthening surveillance, cross-border coordination and preparedness before the virus spreads further.

Experts say there is no immediate reason for panic in India. But the broader lessons remain urgent.

“The Covid era has permanently altered the meaning of outbreak preparedness,” Dr Garg shares. “We can’t think about infectious diseases as a geographic event anymore.”

He stressed that modern outbreak response depends heavily on speed and transparency.

“Early detection, transparent reporting, rapid diagnostics and international cooperation are now key pillars of global health security,” he adds.

The bigger warning behind Ebola’s return

For health experts, Ebola’s return is not just about one outbreak in Central Africa. It is also a reminder of how quickly infectious diseases can escalate in an interconnected world.

And perhaps that is the most unsettling lesson behind the WHO’s latest declaration - global health threats often begin quietly, long before the rest of the world starts paying attention.