The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) is poised to become the deadliest in history, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the 2026 outbreak, which was officially declared in May but likely began months earlier, is spreading rapidly and could exceed the 2014-2016 epidemic that claimed at least 11,000 lives.

Current Situation and Challenges

  • Since May 15, over 4,300 Ebola cases and more than 2,000 deaths have been recorded.
  • The virus is identified as the rare Bundibugyo species, previously responsible for only two outbreaks in 2007 and 2012.
  • No approved vaccines or treatments currently exist for this Ebola strain.
  • Regional instability in eastern DR Congo hampers containment efforts, with health workers reaching only about 30% of cases.
  • The virus initially went undetected for months, often misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid.

Response and Research Efforts

  • WHO aims to control transmission within three months, though complete eradication may take longer.
  • The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the first human trials for a Bundibugyo vaccine developed by the University of Oxford, leveraging technology from the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine.
  • Three other vaccine candidates are in development but have not yet entered clinical trials.
  • WHO is also sponsoring clinical trials in DR Congo to evaluate existing antiviral therapies for improving survival rates.

Ebola is a severe viral illness with symptoms ranging from fever and fatigue to vomiting, diarrhoea, and organ failure. It spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids.