WHO releases unified Ebola and Marburg clinical guidelines amid DRC outbreak

The World Health Organization issued its first comprehensive clinical guidelines covering all Ebola virus species and Marburg disease. Developed through global expert consultations, the document contains 16 evidence‑based recommendations that emphasise early supportive care, rapid rehydration, shock management, targeted laboratory testing and prompt antibiotic use where bacterial infection is present. It also outlines structured follow‑up for survivors to address long‑term complications. The guidelines were released as the Democratic Republic of the Congo confronts a Bundibugyo‑virus Ebola outbreak, underscoring the need for standardised patient management to improve survival rates, which can range from 25 % to 90 % in severe outbreaks. WHO Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the recommendations translate scientific evidence into practical measures that protect lives and preserve human dignity during filovirus emergencies. He urged governments and health authorities to integrate the recommendations into preparedness and response plans, ensuring adequate supplies, equipment and staffing for future outbreaks.