Taiwan CDC Raises Travel Alert for DRC, Uganda Amid Ebola Outbreak, Issues Medical Circular
An outbreak of a rare Ebola strain with a 40% fatality rate has occurred in Africa. Citing the lack of a vaccine or medication, Taiwan's CDC announced today that it has raised the travel health notice for specific areas to Level 2 'Alert,' issued a circular to the medical community, and urged returnees to implement 21 days of self-health management.
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An outbreak of a rare Ebola type with a 40% fatality rate has occurred in Africa. Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stated today that, considering the current lack of a vaccine or medication, it has elevated the travel health notice for the specific region to a Level 2 'Alert', issued a circular to the medical community, and is urging travelers returning from the area to implement a 21-day self-health management period.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda are experiencing an outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo ebolavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared it a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" (PHEIC), with nearly 400 suspected cases and over 100 deaths to date.
According to the Taiwan CDC website, Ebola virus infection is a severe acute illness caused by the Ebola virus and is listed as a Category 5 notifiable communicable disease in Taiwan. The genus Ebolavirus currently includes five species: Bundibugyo, Zaire, Sudan, Reston, and Taï Forest, which differ in their antigenic and biological characteristics. Among these, the Bundibugyo, Zaire, and Sudan ebolaviruses have caused several large-scale outbreaks in Africa.
Reuters reported that, according to a global study published in 2024, the fatality rate for the Bundibugyo strain is approximately 30% to 40%, compared to up to 90% for the more common Zaire ebolavirus.
CDC spokesperson Tseng Shu-hui told CNA in a telephone interview today that Ebola has multiple types. The currently circulating Bundibugyo strain is different from previous mainstream strains for which vaccines were available. At present, there is no vaccine or related medication to prevent or treat the Bundibugyo type.
Tseng explained that the Ebola virus is primarily transmitted through contact, including contact with the blood, body fluids, secretions, or corpses of infected individuals. Although droplet transmission is not the main route, there is still a risk of infection when caring for patients. The first case in this outbreak was a local healthcare worker who was diagnosed after developing symptoms in late April following accidental contact with a patient during treatment.
The WHO has designated the Ebola outbreak in the Congo and Uganda as a PHEIC. Although the threat of Ebola to Taiwan is considered low, Tseng emphasized that the CDC, after consulting information from the US and EU CDC, decided to raise the travel health notice for the region from Level 1 'Watch' to Level 2 'Alert'.
Tseng urged people traveling to the affected areas to follow the 'Three Don'ts, One Must' guideline: 'Do not touch the blood, body fluids, or secretions of suspected or confirmed cases,' 'Do not attend funerals or touch human remains,' 'Do not touch wild animals such as bats and primates,' and the 'One Must' is to 'practice thorough hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.'
Furthermore, with the convenience of international travel, Tseng stated that imported cases cannot be ruled out. The CDC has issued a circular to the medical community, reminding primary care clinics and hospitals to thoroughly inquire about a patient's 'TOCC' (Travel history, Occupation, Contact history, and Cluster history) during diagnosis.
Tseng stressed that the incubation period for the Ebola virus can be up to 21 days. Therefore, individuals returning from the Congo, Uganda, or surrounding affected countries should conduct 21 days of self-health management. If suspected symptoms appear, they should proactively contact health authorities or call the 1922 hotline to reduce domestic risk.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda are experiencing an outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo ebolavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared it a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" (PHEIC), with nearly 400 suspected cases and over 100 deaths to date.
According to the Taiwan CDC website, Ebola virus infection is a severe acute illness caused by the Ebola virus and is listed as a Category 5 notifiable communicable disease in Taiwan. The genus Ebolavirus currently includes five species: Bundibugyo, Zaire, Sudan, Reston, and Taï Forest, which differ in their antigenic and biological characteristics. Among these, the Bundibugyo, Zaire, and Sudan ebolaviruses have caused several large-scale outbreaks in Africa.
Reuters reported that, according to a global study published in 2024, the fatality rate for the Bundibugyo strain is approximately 30% to 40%, compared to up to 90% for the more common Zaire ebolavirus.
CDC spokesperson Tseng Shu-hui told CNA in a telephone interview today that Ebola has multiple types. The currently circulating Bundibugyo strain is different from previous mainstream strains for which vaccines were available. At present, there is no vaccine or related medication to prevent or treat the Bundibugyo type.
Tseng explained that the Ebola virus is primarily transmitted through contact, including contact with the blood, body fluids, secretions, or corpses of infected individuals. Although droplet transmission is not the main route, there is still a risk of infection when caring for patients. The first case in this outbreak was a local healthcare worker who was diagnosed after developing symptoms in late April following accidental contact with a patient during treatment.
The WHO has designated the Ebola outbreak in the Congo and Uganda as a PHEIC. Although the threat of Ebola to Taiwan is considered low, Tseng emphasized that the CDC, after consulting information from the US and EU CDC, decided to raise the travel health notice for the region from Level 1 'Watch' to Level 2 'Alert'.
Tseng urged people traveling to the affected areas to follow the 'Three Don'ts, One Must' guideline: 'Do not touch the blood, body fluids, or secretions of suspected or confirmed cases,' 'Do not attend funerals or touch human remains,' 'Do not touch wild animals such as bats and primates,' and the 'One Must' is to 'practice thorough hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.'
Furthermore, with the convenience of international travel, Tseng stated that imported cases cannot be ruled out. The CDC has issued a circular to the medical community, reminding primary care clinics and hospitals to thoroughly inquire about a patient's 'TOCC' (Travel history, Occupation, Contact history, and Cluster history) during diagnosis.
Tseng stressed that the incubation period for the Ebola virus can be up to 21 days. Therefore, individuals returning from the Congo, Uganda, or surrounding affected countries should conduct 21 days of self-health management. If suspected symptoms appear, they should proactively contact health authorities or call the 1922 hotline to reduce domestic risk.