The Ebola virus was first identified in 1976 during simultaneous outbreaks in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire), marking a significant moment in medical science. This new class of hemorrhagic viral disease was characterized by severe symptoms and high mortality rates, raising alarms about its potential for outbreaks. The identification of Ebola spurred extensive research into viral diseases, public health responses, and the importance of understanding zoonotic diseases, which are transmitted from animals to humans.

The identification of the Ebola virus in 1976 entered the literary imagination as an emblem of the fearful unknown. This shaped the outbreak narrative genre and influenced poetry that addressed ecological disruption and the legacies of colonialism, reflecting on human vulnerability.