Uganda’s western town, district capital and Ebola watchpoint
The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has infected about 1,926 people and caused 702 deaths, official data has shown. Cases have spread from Ituri into North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo and Haut‑Uele. WHO modelling has warned the true caseload could be two to four times higher; clinical trials of two experimental treatments have begun.
The Bundibugyo virus Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is expanding, with increasing cases and deaths reported across multiple provinces. Health facilities face strikes over unpaid salaries, funding gaps hinder response, and transmission continues amid conflict and attacks on clinics. Several countries report cases and international partners have mobilised funds for the response.
A Bundibugyo-strain Ebola outbreak has produced more than 500 confirmed cases across eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and at least 19 confirmed cases in Uganda. WHO has declared a public health emergency of international concern; authorities are scaling up testing, treatment centres and cross-border preparedness while contact tracing and supplies remain insufficient.
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola has triggered a fast-spreading outbreak in eastern Congo. Health workers report limited protective gear, rising infections, and ongoing risks for frontline caregivers, particularly women, who bear the burden of care at home and in clinics.
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo is being driven by the Bundibugyo virus. It has declared a public health emergency; more than 550 cases have been confirmed, with 101 deaths and 19 recoveries. Health workers face attacks, local scepticism, and armed conflict that hinder containment. Cases are concentrated in Ituri, with spread to North Kivu and South Kivu and across the border into Uganda. Vaccines and treatments remain unavailable for this strain.
A Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak is driving rapid development of vaccines and antibody therapies. Doses of MBP134 are being used for compassionate use and clinical trials, while several vaccine candidates are advancing toward human testing. Trials face challenges from battlefield-like conditions in eastern Congo and Uganda.
Health workers are facing a worsening Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, with Ituri accounting for the majority of cases. Attacks on clinics and burial teams have disrupted containment efforts, while Bundibugyo strain shows no approved treatment or vaccine. Hundreds have been infected and deaths exceed two hundred as authorities warn of a growing regional risk.
Health authorities have reported at least 1,759 confirmed Ebola cases and about 600 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo since mid-May, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain. The World Health Organization has enrolled the first patient in a trial testing MBP134 and remdesivir; treatment centres are strained and insecurity and funding shortfalls are hindering response.
A series of clinical trials have begun across multiple sites to test vaccines and antivirals against Bundibugyo Ebola. Early-phase studies are assessing safety and immune response in healthy adults, with stockpiles of vaccine doses prepared for potential deployment as the outbreak continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring regions.