The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda has prompted concerns in Asia about the potential for the virus to spread through the region's airports before detection. While the risk of a widespread outbreak is considered low, the situation highlights the readiness of Asian health systems.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda is raising an uncomfortable question for Asian governments: could the virus travel through the region’s airports before health systems detect it? While experts say the risk of a major outbreak in Asia remains low, the latest flare-up has renewed scrutiny of whether hospitals, contact tracers and border surveillance systems remain ready after years of post-Covid fatigue and strained global health funding. Khoo Yoong Khean, deputy.....