DR Congo Ebola outbreak grows as Oxford scientists fast-track vaccine

WHO says the Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo now poses a “very high” national risk as Oxford researchers prepare a vaccine candidate for potential trials within months.

GENEVA/KINSHASA —
The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing at least 750 suspected Ebola cases and 177 suspected deaths as Oxford scientists accelerate development of an experimental vaccine targeting the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) said at least 72 infections and seven deaths had been laboratory confirmed and warned that the outbreak now posed a “very high” national risk in DR Congo. Health officials say violence, displacement and limited healthcare access in eastern Congo are complicating efforts to trace infections, isolate patients and contain the spread of the disease.

Oxford scientists accelerate Ebola vaccine development

Researchers at Oxford University said they were urgently adapting vaccine technology previously used during the Covid-19 pandemic to target the Bundibugyo strain, a rare Ebola species for which no approved vaccine currently exists. The vaccine uses the ChAdOx1 platform, a viral-vector technology designed to train the immune system to recognise and fight infection. Scientists said animal testing was already underway in Oxford laboratories.

WHO officials said doses for clinical trials could potentially be available within two to three months, although wider deployment would depend on trial outcomes, regulatory approvals and manufacturing capacity. A separate experimental vaccine candidate may require six to nine months before doses become available for testing, according to WHO officials. Professor Teresa Lambe, head of vaccine immunology at the Oxford Vaccine Group, said researchers were preparing for the possibility of a wider outbreak while hoping containment efforts succeed before vaccines become necessary.

WHO raises Ebola risk level in DR Congo

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak was expanding in parts of eastern Congo, particularly in conflict-affected areas where insecurity has disrupted healthcare operations and disease surveillance. The outbreak is centred in Ituri province, where armed violence and displacement have complicated efforts to identify transmission chains and monitor suspected cases.

Health officials warned that overwhelmed clinics, delayed treatment and population movements in conflict-hit communities could increase mortality risks and undermine tracing operations. Two cases and one death have also been confirmed in neighbouring Uganda, increasing concerns over possible regional spread. The WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern earlier this week, although officials stressed the situation was not considered a global pandemic.

Why the Bundibugyo Ebola strain matters

The Bundibugyo species is one of the rarer forms of Ebola virus and has only caused two major outbreaks previously, in Uganda in 2007 and DR Congo in 2012. Unlike the more common Zaire strain, there is currently no licensed vaccine specifically approved for Bundibugyo Ebola. Health experts say the rarity of the strain creates additional scientific and logistical challenges because fewer vaccine studies and treatment datasets exist compared with other Ebola variants. Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected individuals and can have fatality rates exceeding 50% during severe outbreaks.

Violence and mistrust hamper outbreak response

Public health officials say insecurity and mistrust remain major obstacles to containing the outbreak. In one incident in Rwampara, protesters reportedly set fire to tents operated by a medical charity after disputing the cause of an Ebola-related death, according to witnesses cited by Reuters and Sky News.

WHO officials say unsafe burials, misinformation and resistance to medical interventions continue to contribute to transmission risks in some communities. Regional health authorities have also increased border screening and surveillance measures in neighbouring countries amid concerns about cross-border movement and infection risks.

International support efforts increase

Britain announced up to £20 million in support to help contain the outbreak, including funding for frontline healthcare workers, infection control and disease surveillance. The United States said it would support the opening of up to 50 clinics in DR Congo and Uganda as part of broader containment efforts.

Global health experts warn that rapid containment measures will be critical to preventing wider international spread, particularly in regions affected by conflict, weak healthcare infrastructure and population displacement. Analysts say the success of the experimental vaccine effort will ultimately depend on how quickly scientists can complete trials, scale production and build public trust in vaccination campaigns if the outbreak continues to expand.