No Ebola case in Philippines – DOH

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May 25, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines remains free of Ebola, the Department of Health (DOH) assured the public even as the World Health Organization (WHO) raised concern over a growing outbreak of the Ebola Bundibugyo virus in parts of Africa.

DOH spokesperson Albert Domingo said the country is not affected by the current outbreak, which has been detected in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“To be very clear, there are no Ebola cases in the Philippines,” Domingo said in a radio interview over the weekend.

He added that while the WHO has issued warnings due to increasing cases in Congo, the Philippines remains at low risk because there is no direct exposure or active transmission locally.

Domingo, who attended discussions at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, said the outbreak involves the Ebola Bundibugyo species, one of several strains of the virus identified since Ebola was first discovered in 1976.

He explained that the Philippines has previously recorded Reston virus cases in animals in 1989, 1992, 1996 and 2008, but these were not linked to illness in humans.

The current outbreak in Congo, he said, is more concerning because it involves human infections in a conflict-affected area in Ituri Province, where access to health care is severely limited.

“It is in a conflict zone where health facilities are weak or informal, and medical response is difficult, which allows transmission to continue,” Domingo said.

No travel ban

The DOH said there is no recommendation for a travel ban to and from affected countries.

However, the Bureau of Quarantine will implement enhanced screening for travelers coming from or transiting through affected regions.

Domingo said there are no direct flights from the affected areas to the Philippines, further reducing the risk of entry.

Health officials emphasized that the situation does not warrant public alarm in the Philippines.

Domingo urged the public to maintain general health precautions, noting that strengthening the immune system through proper nutrition, exercise, hydration and rest remains important against all types of infections.

Transmission and symptoms

Domingo stressed that Ebola is not airborne and does not spread like COVID-19. Instead, it is transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood, vomit, saliva, urine and stool.

He said early symptoms include fever, headache and muscle pain, followed by vomiting and diarrhea in more advanced stages.

When asked about sweating as a possible transmission route, Domingo clarified that it is not based on current medical listings.

He also noted that the disease carries a high fatality rate, estimated at around 40 to 50 percent, depending on the outbreak and access to care.

“There is currently no specific cure for Ebola, and no widely available vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain,” he said, adding that some treatments and experimental drugs are being evaluated, including therapies previously used during COVID-19, but these are still under scientific review.