Broad-spectrum antiviral from Gilead; injected antiviral used for COVID-19, now under vaccine/treatment trial context
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, and clinical trials of two experimental treatments have begun.
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 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.
Frontline workers at Ituri’s Ebola response facilities have struck over unpaid wages as the Bundibugyo outbreak expands to more provinces. The situation adds strain to an already overwhelmed health system, with clinics at capacity and mistrust hampering containment efforts. New cases have been confirmed in Haut-Uele and Tshopo, raising the outbreak’s regional footprint.