Camille Naredo

Department of Health Headquarters in  Manila. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Department of Health Headquarters in  Manila.  Jonatha Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Raphael Bosano

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177908937073920140421-doh-manila-JC-2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Department of Health Headquarters in Manila. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File" width="960"/>Department of Health Headquarters in  Manila. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA — The Department of Health says it remains ready and on alert for any possibility after the World Health Organization&#x27;s declaration of the Ebola disease caused by the  Bundibugyo virus as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2026/5/18/who-declares-international-emergency-as-ebola-outbreak-kills-more-than-80-in-dr-congo-0922">READ: WHO declares international emergency as Ebola outbreak kills more than 80 in DR Congo</a></div>The Bundibugyo is one of the four types of Orthoebolaviruses that cause illness in people. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention enumerates others as:- Ebola virus (species Orthoebolavirus zairense) causes Ebola virus disease- Sudan virus (species Orthoebolavirus sudanense) causes Sudan virus disease- Taï Forest virus (species Orthoebolavirus taiense) causes Taï Forest virus diseaseIn a statement, Health Spokesperson Albert Domingo said while the Philippines was able to record an ebola outbreak in 1989, 1996 and 2008, the species of the virus that spread at that time was the Orthoebolavirus restonense or Reston virus. This type of Orthoebolavirus causes disease to non-human primates and not humans.Health authorities consider the 2014 outbreak the biggest in history with 29,000 cases being logged. The disease was caused by the Orthoebolavirus zairense. The magnitude of that outbreak was attributed to weak health systems, monitoring and infrastructure. At that time, Filipino peacekeepers of the United Nations were deployed in Liberia. &quot;Ang mga Filipino peacekeepers ng United Nations (UN) na umuwi mula sa Liberia ay ikinwarantine sa loob ng 21 araw ng DOH Bureau of Quarantine. Hindi kumalat ang virus, at walang namatay dito sa Pilipinas. Inalis ng World Health Organization (WHO) ang deklarasyon ng Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) noong 2016,&quot; Domingo said.The WHO declared the Ebola disease from the Bundibugyo virus as a PHEIC on May 17, following over 240 suspected cases with 80 suspected deaths in Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo and at least two cases in Uganda.Clusters of community deaths said to be indicative of Bundibugyo virus disease were also said to have been reported across health zones in Ituri. Some deaths were among healthcare workers whose illnesses were suggestive of viral hemorrhagic fever. Some of the cases, meanwhile, are not seen to have apparent links with one another.&quot;The event constitutes a public health risk to other States Parties through the international spread of disease. International spread has already been documented. Neighboring countries sharing land borders with the Democratic Republic of the Congo are considered at high risk for further spread due to population mobility, trade and travel linkages, and ongoing epidemiological uncertainty,&quot; the WHO said in a statement.Ebola, like many other diseases, usually starts with fever, body aches and pains as well as fatigue. The disease then progresses to include other &quot;wet&quot; symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting and bleeding. The Orthoebolavirus usually spreads when an individual is exposed to an infected person’s body fluids including blood, urine, feces, saliva, sweat, vomit, breast milk, amniotic fluid, semen, and vaginal fluid. According to the US Center for Disease Prevention and Control, an individual may get sick between two to 21 days after contact with the virus.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/2/7/ebola-explained-symptoms-treatment-and-vaccines-1003">Ebola explained: Symptoms, treatment and vaccines</a></div>Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in the DRC and has a high mortality rate of 80 to 90 percent.The WHO says it has advised countries sharing borders with the DRC and Uganda to &quot;enhance their preparedness and readiness capacity.&quot; It emphasized that all other countries should not impose any border and travel restriction out of fear and absent scientific bases. &quot;They push the movement of people and goods to informal border crossings that are not monitored, thus increasing the chances of the spread of disease. Most critically, these restrictions can also compromise local economies and negatively affect response operations from a security and logistics perspective,&quot; WHO said.Like other health events, the world body says the general public must be provided with accurate and relevant information on the Bundibugyo virus outbreak to help them make informed decisions on how to better reduce the risk of exposure. &quot;Naabisuhan na kami sa pamamagitan ng mga channel ng International Health Regulation (IHR), at aktibo kaming nakikipag-ugnayan sa WHO,&quot; the DOH said.

The Department of Health says it remains ready and on alert for any possibility after the World Health Organization's declaration of the Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

The Department of Health says it remains ready and on alert for any possibility after the World Health Organization's declaration of the Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

PH on alert and ready as WHO declares public health emergency on ebola

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PH on alert and ready as WHO declares public health emergency on ebola

Raphael Bosano,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 18, 2026 03:31 PM PHT

Read More:

Ebola

World Health Organization

Department of Health

Democratic Republic of Congo

DOH

WHO

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