90-Second Read: Ebola and Hantavirus outbreaks highlight need for global pandemic preparedness, says virologist

An antiviral expert at the University of Alberta warns more needs to be done to prepare for global outbreaks of deadly viruses like Ebola and Hantavirus because they are constantly changing and adapting to human defences. This week, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern as more than 600 cases and 139 deaths from Ebola were reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Meanwhile, passengers from a Dutch cruise ship, including four Canadians, continue to be isolated and monitored following an outbreak of a rare human-to-human transmitted strain of Hantavirus first identified in early May and leading to three deaths. Götte stresses that while the threat to Canadians from both outbreaks is minimal, they serve as a reminder that not all of the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic have been learned.

This is quite typical for RNA viruses like Ebola, Hantavirus, SARS CoV-2 and influenza. For example, at the University of Alberta, Götte is director of Striving for Pandemic Preparedness, The Alberta Research Consortium, which was launched with a $55-million investment by the Government of Alberta. But the threat remains from relatively rare viruses like Ebola and Hantavirus, he says, as well as much more common threats like influenza, which he puts at the top of the list for Canada. Götte says it can take months to develop new vaccines and years for new drugs, so the best hope for containing the current outbreak of Ebola should come from clinical trials set to begin for two drugs that already exist.

Ebola virus disease can lead to systemic organ failure, killing approximately 50 per cent of those infected. It spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids, so family members and health-care workers are most vulnerable. The current outbreak is happening in an area affected by conflict and famine, which can increase people's susceptibility to disease, including viral infection, Götte says. The PRAIRIE Hub for Pandemic Preparedness was also created in 2023 by the Government of Canada as one of five national pandemic preparedness hubs.

Götte and his laboratory team discovered the mechanism behind remdesivir and its antiviral activity against Ebola and SARS-CoV-2. Götte notes Ebola is nowhere near as contagious as COVID-19 because it requires much closer contact. He points out the key with any treatment against Ebola is to get it to patients early, before the virus has had a chance to cause major damage.