KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo — Health authorities and the World Health Organization are responding to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo linked to the Bundibugyo virus, a rare Ebola-related virus that has killed more than 200 people, officials said.
Scientists said the virus complicates containment efforts because no approved vaccines or treatments exist specifically for Bundibugyo virus disease, requiring responders to rely on standard outbreak control measures.
Infectious disease specialist Celine Gounder said response teams are operating without targeted medical countermeasures.
“There’s nothing even close to ready for clinical trials,” Gounder said. “And so that means responders, healthcare workers and other aid workers are really back to the basics.”
The World Health Organization said advisory groups have identified potential vaccine and treatment candidates for possible clinical testing, but any deployment would require additional months of development and evaluation.
The Bundibugyo virus is one of several viruses in the same family that cause Ebola disease, alongside Ebola virus, Sudan virus and Taï Forest virus. Scientists said Bundibugyo has caused two previous recorded outbreaks in the region of the Congo River basin.
The virus spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids such as blood, sweat, vomit and feces, placing healthcare workers and family caregivers at highest risk.
Experts said mortality rates from previous outbreaks have exceeded 30%, though they noted the limited number of cases makes precise estimates difficult.
Public health responders are focusing on case identification, isolation, contact tracing and infection prevention measures, including the use of protective equipment and safe burial practices.
The WHO said potential vaccine candidates include a platform similar to the Merck Ebola vaccine and a vaccine based on the Oxford University–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine technology developed by the Serum Institute of India.
Health officials also identified several therapies for possible clinical trials, including antibody treatments developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Mapp Biopharmaceutical, as well as the antiviral drug remdesivir, produced by Gilead Sciences.
Public health experts said that while vaccines remain unavailable, traditional containment measures have successfully stopped every previous Ebola outbreak in the country through coordinated response efforts.
