Broad-spectrum antiviral by Gilead, IV-administered, used for COVID-19
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.
A UK-Oxford vaccine candidate has begun Phase I testing in healthy volunteers to assess safety and immune response. The work leverages the same technology as the Oxford–AstraZeneca Covid jab. Trials are planned in Africa with regional partners as the outbreak continues in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A Senate hearing has spotlighted newly released diary pages from Fauci, fueling accusations that the scientist privately contradicted public statements as lawmakers push for questioning under the Fifth Amendment; experts note the diary entries document uncertainty in early pandemic days and ongoing debates about origins and gain-of-function research.
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola has reached unprecedented speed, with cases surpassing 4,000 and deaths above 2,000. Health workers face strikes over pay, security risks rise amid conflict, and aid cuts hinder response as experts warn the outbreak could escalate further.