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More than 50 years after Ebola was first discovered in Africa, at least 15,000 people have died from the illness. Contagious and dangerous, it is “one of the most deadly diseases known to man,” says Keith Roach, MD, associate professor of clinical medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City and an associate attending physician at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Ebola is a type of hemorrhagic fever that can cause severe bleeding in its later stages.
Recent years have seen important developments in the ability to treat and contain the virus. There are two treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Zaire ebolavirus, a common type of the disease, as well as one FDA-approved vaccine to prevent it.
The keys to avoiding infection, however, remain understanding how the disease is and is not transmitted—and taking necessary steps to lower the risk of spread. Here are the facts.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Preventi... + 6
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ebola Disease Basics. June 2, 2026.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. History of Ebola Outbreaks. Accessed October 9, 2026.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clinical Features of Ebola Disease. May 27, 2026.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Ebola. October 1, 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ebola Outbreak: Current Situation. October 9, 2026.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How Ebola Disease Spreads. June 2, 2026.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Signs and Symptoms of Ebola Disease. April 23, 2024.
