There were five confirmed outbreaks of Ebola during the 1970s.
Year
Ebola subtype
Country
No. of human cases
Percentage of deaths among cases
Ebola Outbreak Details
1976
Ebola-Zaire
Zaire [Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)]
318
88%
Occurred in Yambuku and surrounding area. Disease was spread by close personal contact and by use of contaminated needles and syringes in hospitals/clinics. This outbreak was the first recognition of the disease.
1976
Ebola-Sudan
Sudan
284
53%
Occurred in Nzara, Maridi, and the surrounding area. Disease was spread mainly through close personal contact within hospitals. Many medical care personnel were infected.
1976
Ebola-Sudan
England
1
0%
Laboratory infection by accidental stick of contaminated needle.
1977
Ebola-Zaire
Zaire
1
100%
Noted retrospectively in the village of Tandala.
1979
Ebola-Sudan
Sudan
34
65%
Occurred in Nzara. Recurrent outbreak at the same site as the 1976 Sudan epidemic.
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