In 1976, Ebola virus was first identified in Yambuku, 111 kilometers (69 mi) from the EbolaRiver, but the virologist Karl Johnson decided to name it after the river so that the town would not be associated with the disease's stigma. [5] The EbolaRiver, also commonly known by its Ngbandi name Legbala, is the headstream of the Mongala River, a tributary of the Congo River, in northern Democratic... The EbolaRiver in Bas‑Uélé gave its name to the Ebola virus after early outbreaks; the area comprises rainforest river valleys and limited research access rather than typical tourism. Without a river, people could not survive in such conditions. Ebola is an important component not only of the life of local tribes, but of the entire ecosystem as a whole. What is the EbolaRiver? The EbolaRiver is the headstream of the Mongala River, a tributary of the Congo River, in northern Democratic Republic of ... In 1976, Ebola virus was first identified in Yambuku, 111 kilometers (69 mi) from the EbolaRiver, but the virologist Karl Johnson decided to name it after the river so that the town would not be associated with the disease's stigma. [5] The Ebola, formerly called “Eau blanche” or Legbala, is a river in the DRC that flows into the Mongala near Businga. Sadly, it is infamously known for giving its name to the Ebola virus, identified following an outbreak in 1976 near Yambuku.