WHO issues comprehensive guidelines on filovirus disease, including Ebola and Marburg disease
https://www.who.int/news/item/17-06-2026-who-issues-comprehensive-guidel...
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17 June 2026 News release
As the Democratic Republic of the Congo is battling an Ebola disease outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released its first comprehensive guidelines for the clinical management of filovirus disease which include all types of Ebola and Marburg viruses. The new guidelines highlight the importance of early supportive care to improve patient survival and health outcomes, outlining 16 evidence-based recommendations. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/B09774
Ebola and Marburg diseases are serious and often fatal, with case fatality rates ranging from 25% to 90% in the most severe outbreaks. There have been 72 outbreaks of Ebola and Marburg diseases reported in Africa since 1967, when Marburg virus was first discovered. These outbreaks often have significant socio-economic and psychological impact on communities affected. In the absence of licensed vaccines and treatments for Marburg virus disease, Bundibugyo and Sudan virus diseases, early supportive care significantly improves survival.
“These new guidelines are a perfect example of how WHO leverages science to better protect and care for people during outbreaks and health emergencies,” WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says. “The current Bundibugyo virus outbreak is a stark reminder of the need for diligent, holistic and person-focused medical care, to save lives and preserve human dignity. We encourage governments and authorities to integrate these new recommendations into preparedness and outbreak response, to ensure high-quality care for everyone.”
Developed through global expert consultations and based on the most up-to-date scientific evidence and clinical knowledge, the guidelines translate lessons learned from recent Ebola and Marburg disease outbreaks into practical recommendations for improved patient care. WHO has previously issued several guidelines on clinical care and therapeutics specific to Ebola virus disease...
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HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org