A Look at Major Ebola Outbreaks and When the Disease Was First Identified

With around 600 suspected cases and at least 130 deaths, the new Ebola outbreak in the Central African country of Congo has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO). Cases have also been reported in neighboring Uganda.

The severe disease that is often fatal was first identified in 1976 after two outbreaks in quick succession in what is now South Sudan and Congo, according to the WHO.

All the major Ebola outbreaks have been in sub-Saharan Africa, where the viruses that cause it are native. The worst have been in West and Central Africa.

Ebola Disease Is Caused by Different Viruses

Ebola disease is caused by a group of viruses. Three of them are known to cause large outbreaks: Ebola virus, Sudan virus, and Bundibugyo virus, the WHO says. The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which is rare and has been responsible for only two previously reported outbreaks.