Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans. The virus is initially transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through person-to-person contact. The first Ebola outbreaks occurred in remote villages in Central Africa, near tropical rainforests, but more recent outbreaks have also included East Africa and major urban centres of West Africa. By sharing data, we can improve patient diagnosis and treatment, optimise outbreak response and reduce the impact of future Ebola epidemics.