Case Definitions for Ebola Viral Disease Version 2

Sunday, May 31, 2026

Suspected case:

Any person with a sudden onset of fever and at least three of the following symptoms: - headaches, lethargy, anorexia/loss of appetite, aching muscles or joints, stomach pain, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, difficulty breathing, diarrhoea or hiccups AND travel history to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) / Uganda or other countries reporting suspected or confirmed case(s) of Ebola within the last 21 days.

OR

Any person with inexplicable bleeding AND travel history to DRC / Uganda or other countries reporting suspected or confirmed case(s) of Ebola within the last 21 days.

OR

Any person with a sudden onset of fever with or without any of the following symptoms; headaches, lethargy, anorexia/loss of appetite, aching muscles or joints, stomach pain, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, difficulty breathing, diarrhoea, or hiccups and having had contact with a confirmed or probable case of Ebola within the last 21 days.

OR

Any person with a sudden onset of fever with or without any of the following symptoms; headaches, lethargy, anorexia/loss of appetite, aching muscles or joints, stomach pain, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, difficulty breathing, diarrhoea, or hiccups and who has no response to treatment for the usual causes of fever in the area and have had contact with wildlife (sick/dead animals, bushmeat exposure or contact with animal body fluids) within the last 21 days.

Probable case:

Any suspected case with an epidemiological link to a confirmed case for whom laboratory confirmation could not be obtained.

Laboratory confirmed case:

Any suspected or probable case with a positive laboratory result.

Laboratory confirmed case(s) must test positive for the virus antigen, either by detection of virus RNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR), or by detection of IgM antibodies directed against Ebola.

COMMUNITY BASED SURVEILLANCE CASE DEFINITION:

Any person with onset of fever and no response to treatment for usual causes of fever in the area;

OR

Any person with at least one of the following signs: bleeding, bloody diarrhoea, bleeding into urine;

OR

Any sudden or unexplained death.

Note: If an alert case (living or dead) is identified, report the case to a surveillance team or to the nearest health facility

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