The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention has urged the public to rely on accurate and verified information regarding the Ebola virus, amid widespread reports about outbreaks in parts of Africa, emphasizing the importance of scientific awareness to understand the disease without unnecessary fear or misinformation.

The ministry clarified that Ebola is not airborne like COVID-19 or influenza, but spreads only through direct contact with bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated surfaces, noting that early symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and general weakness.

It explained that symptoms may appear between two and 21 days after exposure, stressing that infected individuals are not contagious before symptoms begin, which helps limit uncontrolled transmission when proper health measures are followed.

The current outbreak is linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain, first identified in Uganda in 2007, with most cases concentrated in parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and limited imported cases reported in Uganda.

The ministry confirmed that while the World Health Organization has declared the situation a public health emergency of international concern, the global risk level remains low, highlighting that the UAE continues to closely monitor developments and has strengthened surveillance systems, early detection, and preparedness across airports and healthcare facilities.