Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand has issued a Public Health Advisory following a World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of an Ebola outbreak (Bundibugyo virus) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern.
The current risk to Aotearoa New Zealand is assessed as low. Health New Zealand is not aware of any New Zealand nationals or individuals locally who have been exposed to the virus. To ensure our health system is fully prepared, the National Public Health Service (NPHS) is currently coordinating an end-to-end sector plan to manage border processes, safe transfer protocols, isolation, and clinical pathways if a domestic response is required.
The Bundibugyo virus causes a severe form of Ebola disease, spreading person-to-person via direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces. The incubation period spans 2 to 21 days. Symptoms onset is often sudden and includes:
Fever, fatigue, malaise, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat.
Subsequent vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and rash.
Impaired kidney and liver function, with potential neurological symptoms (confusion or irritability).
Treatment is strictly supportive as there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for this strain.
While the risk to your practice population remains minimal, we ask all kaimahi (staff) to remain aware of the advisory. In the unlikely event that you suspect a case based on travel history and symptom presentation:
Notify immediately: Call your local Public Health Service urgently by phone.
Discuss testing: Contact your local clinical microbiology service. Initial testing is managed domestically via ESR, with confirmation handled by the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) in Australia.
No travel or trade restrictions are in place, but clinicians should cross-reference recent travel history for patients presenting with sudden, relevant symptom onset.
For further clinical updates and travel advice, please monitor the WHO Ebola Disease Outbreak News and SafeTravel advisories.