Here is a recap of the worst Ebola epidemics since the deadly virus appeared in Africa nearly 40 years ago. There have been more than 20 outbreaks since then.

— 1976 —

The Ebola virus was first identified as it spread simultaneously across two regions along the border between Sudan and what was then Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The haemorrhagic fever takes its name from a river in the area.

The worst outbreak killed 280 people in DRC, out of 318 known cases in that country. In Sudan, 151 people died out of a total of 284 identified cases.

— 1995 —

The DRC was hit again by the virus, in this case by the type known as Ebola Zaire, which infected 315 people, killing 254 of them.

The epidemic was centred in the western Kikwit region.

A doctor testified that a nurse contracted the virus simply by closing the eyes of someone who had just died.

— 2000/2001 —

Uganda was affected for the first time as the Ebola Sudan strain ravaged two parts of the country, mainly the northern city of Gulu, but also the Masindi district and the southwestern town of Mbarara.

From September 2000 until February 2001, the fever killed 224 people of the 425 who were infected.