The World Health Organization (WHO) and national health authorities are responding to an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, which was first declared on May 15. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, has prompted an accelerated effort by global health organizations to develop and trial new vaccines.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention first announced the outbreak in the eastern DRC’s Ituri province. According to the WHO, as of June 2, the DRC had reported 321 confirmed cases, 116 suspected cases, and 48 deaths. The virus has since been detected in neighboring Uganda, where the WHO confirmed nine cases and one death. The Ugandan government later reported the total number of cases had risen to 15, including in the capital, Kampala.
Two days after the initial announcement, the WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency. Officials have cited ongoing conflict in the Ituri province as a challenge to containment efforts. In Rwampara, DRC, an Ebola treatment center was set on fire on May 21. A witness and police attributed the fire to individuals who were attempting to retrieve the body of a relative from the facility.
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a different strain from the Zaire ebolavirus responsible for the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic. While two approved vaccines exist for the Zaire strain, there is no licensed vaccine for the Bundibugyo virus, which was first identified in Uganda in 2007.
Trish Newport, deputy manager of Ebola programs in DRC for Doctors Without Borders (MSF), noted that the infrequency of Bundibugyo outbreaks has made it a lower priority for pharmaceutical research and development compared to the more common Zaire strain.
In response to the outbreak, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) announced it is funding the evaluation of three vaccine candidates for emergency trials. The initiative includes:
$3.2 million for the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI).
$50 million for Moderna.
$8.6 million for the University of Oxford.
The vaccine candidates utilize different technologies, including messenger RNA (mRNA) and viral vector platforms similar to those used in developing vaccines for COVID-19.
While vaccine trials are being organized, the WHO has recommended the use of an experimental antibody treatment, MBP134, for the current outbreak. Standard medical care for patients involves supportive measures such as managing hydration and blood pressure levels. Health workers have previously encountered challenges in the region related to community responses to medical interventions during epidemics, including protests at treatment facilities.
