The Lancet

Stapley J, Ko Y, Jeyapragasan G et al. Evaluating the impact of antiviral post-exposure prophylaxis for health-care workers during orthoebolavirus outbreaks: a modelling study The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2026; 0

The 2013–16 west African Ebola virus (EBOV; caused by Orthoebolavirus zairense) epidemic showed that high mortality was a consequence of delayed detection and uncontrolled transmission of orthoebolaviruses. Recent filovirus outbreaks across east Africa, including the ongoing 2026 Bundibugyo virus outbreak in DR Congo, show that this threat extends beyond EBOV. Historically, control has relied on non-pharmaceutical interventions such as contact tracing, case isolation, treatment unit access, and safe and dignified burials. These measures reduce community-associated, health-care-associated, and funeral-associated transmission but are difficult to implement rapidly in remote and resource-constrained or conflict-affected settings, in which many Ebola virus outbreaks occur.