Tip Sheet: How concerned should Americans be about Ebola?

Mary Cunningham — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:22:16 +0000

Tip Sheet: How concerned should Americans be about Ebola? Mary Cunningham Mon, 06/01/2026 - 10:22

In This Story

With a new Ebola virus disease outbreak in Africa affecting global travel, epidemiologist Amira Roess shares why the risk to Americans is currently low and other frequently asked questions.

Colorized transmission electron microscopic image showing the filamentous and curved morphology of an Ebola virus particle. Photo by CDC/Frederick A. Murphy via Public Health Image Library.

As of May 31, 2026, cases of Ebola virus disease have been spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda for several weeks. No cases have been reported in the United States because of this outbreak. However, due to Ebola’s highly infectious nature, major U.S and other global international airports have increased travel screening, entry restrictions, and public health measures to prevent the spread of this disease.

Epidemiologist Amira Roess previously worked on Ebola prevention as an epidemic intelligence service officer (i.e., disease detective) at the Centers for Disease Control. She also was the principal investigator on a grant studying Ebola prevention in Guinea during the West Africa outbreak in 2014-2016. Roess shares her expertise to answer frequently asked questions concerning Ebola.

How concerned should Americans be about Ebola right now?

The overall risk to Americans is currently low with no cases of Ebola reported in the U.S. because of the recent Congo outbreak as of May 31, 2026.

How does Ebola spread?

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids (such as blood or saliva) of an infected person or animal. Ebola does not spread through the air the way the flu does, so you cannot get the disease from being near someone for a short period of time or passing them in public.

Though Ebola is not highly contagious because it does not spread through the air the way the flu virus does, Ebola is highly infectious, meaning even a small amount of contact with the virus can lead to severe effects.

What are the symptoms of Ebola?

Ebola symptoms begin with fever, aches, pains, and fatigue, and progress to diarrhea, vomiting and unexplained bleeding. Other symptoms may include chest pain, shortness of breath, confusion, red eyes, skin rash, hiccups, and seizures. Symptoms may start between 2-21 days, but typically appear between 8-10 days after exposure.

These symptoms can indicate a lot of other illnesses, and there is little risk of Ebola to anyone who has not come in contact with an infected person.

How deadly is Ebola? Is there a cure?

Ebola is a very deadly disease with a death rate between 25% to 50% depending on the strain, but has been up to 90% with previous outbreaks and strains. There are no licensed vaccines or treatments currently available for the Ebola strain responsible for the current 2026 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Early supportive treatment is key to increasing the survival rate, and public health measures and contract tracking are key to preventing the spread of the disease.

Learn more about Ebola from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

MEDIA INQUIRIES: For reporters who wish to speak to Dr. Roess about Ebola or other infectious diseases, please email media contact Michelle Thompson at mthomp7@gmu.edu.

Amira Roess is a professor of global health and epidemiology at 91��'s College of Public Health, Department of Global and Community Health. She served as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer at the CDC (a disease detective), where she worked on Ebola prevention in the Congo region among other infectious diseases. In 2015, Roess was co-investigator on a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to study the ethnic, cultural and spiritual beliefs about Ebola virus disease among villagers and health care workers in the West African country of Guinea. She is an epidemiologist with expertise in infectious diseases epidemiology, multidisciplinary and multi-species field research and evaluating interventions to reduce the transmission and impact of infectious diseases. Roess oversees several longitudinal studies to understand emergence and transmission of zoonotic infectious diseases globally, including the emergence and transmission of Campylobacter (with support from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), MERS-CoV (with support from the U.S. National Science Foundation), and the development of the microbiome during the first year of life. She studies links between food animal production and emerging infectious and zoonotic diseases emergence globally, and the effects of human and animal encounters on health and well-being. Find more information about her research here.

Roess’ peer-reviewed papers related to Ebola:

About George Mason University
91�� is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched Mason Now: Power the Possible, a one-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship. Learn more at gmu.edu.

About College of Public Health at 91��

The College of Public Health at 91�� is the first College of Public Health in Virginia and a national leader in inclusive, interprofessional, public health research, education, and practice. The college comprises public health disciplines, health administration and policy, informatics, nursing, nutrition, and social work. The college offers a distinct array of degrees to support research and training of professionals dedicated to ensuring health and well-being for all. The college’s transdisciplinary research seeks to understand the many factors that influence the public’s health and well-being throughout the lifespan.

Topics

College of Public Health