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Disease groups:
At a glance
- No vaccine available – read more about prevention
- Nationally notifiable disease
About Ebola virus disease
Ebola disease refers to a group of serious viral haemorrhagic fevers, including Ebola virus disease, Sudan virus disease and Bundibugyo virus disease.
These diseases are caused by related types of ebolaviruses – they are among the most dangerous viruses known to humans.
Read more about Ebola disease.
Why it matters to public health
Ebola disease is rare but outbreaks can grow quickly.
It is a life-threatening infection – about half of people with Ebola disease die.
Cases have been reported in several African countries. People can get infected if they travel to areas where the disease is found.
Nobody has ever been diagnosed with Ebola disease in Australia.
Just one case in Australia would trigger an urgent public health response.
Because of how serious these diseases can be, viral haemorrhagic fevers are considered listed human diseases. This means the Australian Government can use special powers to stop them from entering the country and respond quickly if they are detected.
Symptoms
If you’re looking for advice about your own health or treatment options, see healthdirect or speak with a qualified healthcare professional. Our role is to provide public health advice – information and guidance that helps prevent disease, protect communities and improve wellbeing at a population level.
Symptoms usually start suddenly and can get worse over time.
Early symptoms include:
- fever
- severe headache
- muscle pains
- weakness
- sore throat.
This is followed by:
Later stages can involve bleeding, including:
- blood in vomit and stools
- bleeding from the nose, gums, eyes or vagina.
The illness can progress to multi-organ failure and death.
People who recover from their infection usually have long-term health problems.
Read more about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of these diseases.
healthdirect’s symptom checker can help you decide whether to contact a health professional.
If you get unwell within 21 days of returning to Australia from a country where Ebola disease is found, call your healthcare professional immediately. Tell them about your symptoms and travel history. Do not visit a clinic or hospital in person without calling ahead. They might take extra steps to protect others.
Onset of symptoms
Symptoms usually start between 8 and 10 days after exposure to the virus. But this can range from 2 to 21 days.
How it spreads
The viruses that cause these diseases can spread to others through:
- direct contact with blood or other body fluids from someone with the infection – including after they have died
- contact with objects contaminated with infected blood or body fluids – such as needles or syringes
- sexual contact with someone with the infection.
The viruses can also spread through contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected animal, such as fruit bats, monkeys or apes. This includes dead animals.
Infectious period
The viruses that cause Ebola disease can spread to others from when symptoms begin and while the virus remains in blood and other body fluids.
The risk of spread increases as symptoms worsen. People who die from the disease are most infectious around the time of death and after death.
Although rare, the virus can stay in some body fluids (like semen or breast milk) for many months after a person has recovered.
Prevention
There are no Ebola vaccines available for general use in Australia.
For people travelling to countries where Ebola disease occur, the best protection is to:
- follow official travel advice before and after leaving Australia
- do not travel to areas with outbreaks
- avoid contact with:
- people with Ebola disease and their body fluids – whether they are alive or dead
- people who are unwell and their body fluids
- objects contaminated with the body fluid of somebody who is unwell.
- not interact with wild animals (such as fruit bats, monkeys or apes) – including hunting, eating bush meat or disturbing their habitats
- practise good personal hygiene, including hand hygiene
- practise safe sex.
Read more ways to prevent Ebola disease.
Priority groups and settings
People at greater risk of severe disease
Anyone who gets Ebola disease is at risk of getting severely unwell or dying.
People at greater risk of exposure
People who might be at greater risk of exposure to these viruses include:
- people caring for people with these infections – including healthcare workers
- people who handle the body of someone who has died with these infections
- people who interact with infected animals or eat bush meat
- laboratory workers handling samples of the viruses
- sexual partners of people who have recently recovered from Ebola disease – especially if they have contact with semen.
Diagnosis and treatment
Ebola disease is usually diagnosed with a blood test.
Other tests might also require the collection of:
- urine
- a throat or nose swab.
Because of the risk of transmission, samples are only collected in specialist centres.
There are antiviral medicines to treat Ebola virus disease. There are currently no specific treatments available for Sudan virus disease or Bundibugyo virus disease.
People who have Ebola disease are treated in hospital with strict infection prevention and control measures.
Read more about how to manage and treat Ebola disease.
Surveillance and reporting
Viral haemorrhagic fevers (including Ebola virus disease, Sudan virus disease and Bundibugyo virus disease) are nationally notifiable diseases – these are diseases that present a risk to public health.
Health authorities in each state and territory must report cases to us through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.
This is part of national surveillance activities to monitor case numbers and understand disease patterns.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports on global Ebola disease cases through its Ebola portal.
Outbreaks
Australia has strong systems to prevent and respond to Ebola virus disease.
Biosecurity officers screen travellers for Ebola virus disease and other serious diseases. People who feel sick or have been exposed to Ebola virus are assessed and might be referred for medical care or isolation in a safe facility.
If there’s a major outbreak overseas, the Australian Government might introduce extra steps to keep everyone safe. These could include:
- monitoring passengers and returning travellers from affected areas
- displaying information at airports and ports – like in brochures, banners or electronic messages
- using legal powers, if needed.
Read more about how the Australian Government defines and plans for outbreaks.
Support
For more information, see the WHO Ebola disease webpage.
For travel advice, see Smartraveller.
For information in your state or territory, see:
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia.
If you need mental health support, see a list of organisations, websites and services that offer support, counselling and information.
Ebola resources
This collection contains information to assist health professionals in the event of a possible of Ebola outbreak.