Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda in responding to an outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which spreads through close contact. Since 15 May, UN agencies have worked on containment efforts, emphasizing that the virus often spreads within families during caregiving, said Anaïs Legand, a WHO Technical Officer.
Ms. Legand described Ebola as a disease contracted chiefly through close contact and stressed the need for families and communities to avoid touching symptomatic individuals. She noted the high lethality of this strain, with a fatality rate estimated between 30 and 50 percent, underscoring the importance of prevention and early access to medical care to improve outcomes.
WHO has convened experts to evaluate potential treatments and vaccines. Three therapeutics—monoclonal antibodies MBP 134 and maftivimab, and the antiviral remdesivir—are being prioritized for clinical trials in confirmed cases. The oral antiviral obeldesivir is also being studied for post-exposure use. For prevention, two candidate vaccines have been identified for future evaluation as doses become available.
According to WHO, controlling Ebola outbreaks requires full community engagement, with early recognition of symptoms and timely diagnostics. Ms. Legand cited a recent recovery in the DRC as an example of the impact of such involvement and optimized supportive care.
The outbreak is occurring in a challenging environment, notably in Ituri province, where 1.2 million people require humanitarian assistance and ongoing conflict complicates the response. WHO is working closely with affected governments while urgently scaling up medical care capacities in the region.