Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in DRC on track to be largest ever
Over 7,000 cases reported since May with vaccine development racing against instability and community mistrust.
What to know
- The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the DRC has infected 7,000+ people since May with ~50% fatality, on pace to be the largest ever recorded.
- Vaccine candidates from Oxford and Moderna are in safety trials with efficacy trials starting this month, but vaccine hesitancy and regional instability threaten deployment.
- Violence, mistrust of humanitarian workers, and community attacks on Red Cross volunteers have made contact tracing and case isolation extremely difficult.
- US withdrawal from the WHO and USAID dismantling have left global responders short-staffed and lacking basic medical supplies like masks and testing equipment.
“Covid was in some ways easier. We're not in a lockdown, we're not in a situation where people even know or care about what's going on in the DRC … You're not all pulling in the same direction because day-to-day life continues.”
Teresa Lambe, Vaccinology professor, Oxford trial lead · Wired ↗
Nicole Lurie Executive Director for Preparedness and Response, CEPITeresa Lambe Lead scientific investigator, Oxford Ebola vaccine trialCoalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) Nonprofit funding vaccine development
How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts
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US withdrawal from WHO and USAID dismantling strain global response — Following President Trump's second-term directives, the US withdrawal from the WHO and dismantling of USAID have left global responder organizations short-staffed and facing shortages of basic medical equipment including masks, hand sanitizers, and testing gear.
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Vaccine development hampered by regional violence and mistrust — Health officials cite ongoing violence displacing millions, attacks on Red Cross volunteers, destruction of medical equipment, and deep distrust of outside humanitarian workers as barriers to contact tracing and vaccine deployment. Vaccine hesitancy is identified as a critical concern despite promising trial progress.
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Outbreak reaches 7,000+ cases with 50% fatality rate
Current case count exceeds 7,000 people infected with the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, with approximately half having died according to WHO-compiled government data. The outbreak is described as on pace to be the worst the world has ever seen.
“This is the most rapidly growing Ebola outbreak that we've seen. It's probably on pace to be the worst the world has ever seen, and it's quite terrifying.”
— Nicole Lurie -
first by Wired, 17h ago
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The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is on track to be the largest ever.
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Vaccine safety trials enter phase; efficacy trials expected to start — Oxford and Moderna vaccine candidates have entered safety trials with efficacy trials expected to begin this month, but trials face challenges from regional instability and community mistrust.
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CEPI redirects $100 million to vaccine development — Shortly after the first cases, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations redirects internal funding to accelerate vaccine development, supporting Serum Institute of India's manufacturing of Oxford's ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine and Moderna's vaccine candidate.
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First Bundibugyo Ebola cases reported in DRC — The outbreak begins in the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking the start of what would become the most rapidly growing Ebola outbreak recorded.