Preparedness

Outbreak Watch

Avicena tracks various pathogens and outbreaks. Our Outbreak Watch initiative delivers a fast digest of the latest news on research on select pathogens. Each tracker below carries a situation summary for certain regions. Choose a tracker to see the detail.

Pathogens Tracked

111

Locations Mapped

Countries Covered

21 Oct 2026

Last Updated

Confirmed in six states and a territory

H5N1 Bird Flu

clade 2.3.4.4b

The most widespread bird flu panzootic on record, confirmed in native birds in all six Australian states and in mammals.

140M

Farmed birds lost

1,000

Human cases

479

Deaths

View Tracker

Updated 21 Oct 2026

Emergency, still spreading

Ebola

Bundibugyo ebolavirus

The 2026 Bundibugyo ebolavirus epidemic in DR Congo, a species with no licensed vaccine or treatment.

9,552

Confirmed cases

4,602

Deaths

2nd

Largest ever

View Tracker

Updated 18 Oct 2026

Across All Trackers

Latest News

The most significant developments across every tracker, newest first.

20 Oct 2026
Ebola
Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Health confirms an imported case in Abuja, a woman with recent travel to Uganda. Her symptoms began on 7 October, four days after she arrived. 44 contacts are being monitored.
WHO AFRONigeria
20 Oct 2026
Ebola
Kenya's Ministry of Health confirms a ninth case, a 24-year-old relative of the first patient who was in quarantine. The ministry says all nine cases belong to one cluster. 134 of 135 contacts are in quarantine.
Kenya Ministry of HealthKenya
19 Oct 2026
Ebola
INSP situation report 157 records 97 confirmed cases on 18 October, the most in one day since 9 September. North Kivu reported 48 and Ituri 42. The outbreak stands at 9,552 cases and 4,602 deaths.
INSPDRC
18 Oct 2026
Ebola
INSP situation report 155 records two confirmed cases, one fatal, in the Wapinda health zone of Nord-Ubangi, the eighth affected province. The report takes the outbreak to 9,415 cases and 4,536 deaths as at 16 October.
INSPDRC
17 Oct 2026
Ebola
Kenya's Ministry of Health confirms four more cases: a male relative of the first patient and three health workers who treated him on 3 and 4 October. All four were in quarantine. Kenya has seven cases.
Kenya Ministry of HealthKenya
16 Oct 2026
Ebola
Kenya's Ministry of Health confirms a third case, a 65-year-old woman who is a close relative of the first two patients. She was in quarantine when she fell ill. 127 of 130 contacts are in quarantine.
Kenya Ministry of HealthKenya
15 Oct 2026
Ebola
INSP report 152 records 68 confirmed cases and 31 deaths on 13 October, taking the outbreak to 9,212 cases and 4,441 deaths. Ituri reported 41 cases and North Kivu 25. Ituri has vaccinated 1,007 frontline workers.
INSPDRC
15 Oct 2026
H5N1 Bird Flu
Tasmania reported H5 in samples from a southern elephant seal and a kelp gull on Macquarie Island, the first in a Tasmanian mammal. Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the CSIRO will test them further and there is no sign of mass deaths on the island.
Tasmanian GovernmentTAS
14 Oct 2026
Ebola
Kenya's Ministry of Health confirms a second case, a 39-year-old close relative of the first patient. He was in quarantine and fell ill on 13 October. The ministry says the cases are linked and there is no evidence of wider spread.
Kenya Ministry of HealthKenya