Inside WHO comprehensive guidelines for clinical management of Ebola as numbers surge in Africa
By Cynthia Lodite, June 17, 2026As the Democratic Republic of the Congo is battling an Ebola disease outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has released its first-ever set of comprehensive guidelines for the clinical management of filovirus disease, which include all Ebola and Marburg diseases.
According to a report released by the WHO on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, the guidelines translate lessons learned from recent disease outbreaks into evidence-based, clinical recommendations to improve patient survival and outcomes.
The new guidelines highlight the importance of early supportive care to improve patient survival and health outcomes, outlining 16 evidence-based recommendations.
Ebola and Marburg diseases are serious and often fatal, with case fatality rates ranging from 25% to 90% in the most severe outbreaks.
Statistics indicate that there have been at least 72 outbreaks of Ebola and Marburg diseases reported in Africa since 1967, when the Marburg virus was first discovered.
According to the WHO, these outbreaks often have a significant socio-economic and psychological impact on communities affected.
The practical recommendations aim to support frontline health workers in identifying clinical deterioration, managing dehydration and shock, improving patient monitoring, delivering critical supportive interventions safely, and providing structured follow-up for patients who recovered from Ebola and Marburg diseases.
WHO recommendation
Some of the key recommendations by WHO include:
Using prioritized clinical laboratory tests to monitor patients with filovirus disease, to identify and manage treatable problems (such as hypoglycaemia, metabolic disruptions);
Quickly and accurately treating dehydration in patients with filovirus disease using oral and intravenous rehydration;
Promoting early and precise use of intravenous fluids and vasoactive medications to treat shock in patients with filovirus disease (low blood pressure caused by the infection, which if not properly addressed leads to organ failure), guided by serial monitoring of vital signs and markers of perfusion;
Ensuring that if other bacterial infections, including bacterial sepsis, are present in patients with filovirus disease, appropriate treatment with antibiotics is initiated;
Providing structured after-care to patients who have survived filovirus disease to promote well-being, and to prevent further infections linked to viral persistence in people who recovered from the disease.