Ebola outbreak: Cases hit 3,200 as UK approves human trial of Bundibugyo vaccine

World Health Organizationzation (WHO) recently updated the number of Ebola cases to more than 3,200, making it the third largest outbreak on record in a matter of days, after 856 new confirmed cases were reported in the past week.

The outbreak began in May 2026 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain. Since then, it has rapidly spread to several provinces and crossed the border into neighboring Uganda.

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According to Discover magazine, the epidemic, which has become the third largest in history and is set to become the second largest, has already claimed over 1,400 lives.

Since there are no approved vaccines or treatments for this unusual strain of Ebola, many institutions are working to develop new vaccines to slow the spread of the often fatal disease.

New vaccine for rare Bundibugyo strain soon?

Ebola has reportedly caused more than 15,000 deaths in Africa over the past five decades as scientists continue to work to quickly close the treatment gap. Earlier this month, Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved the first-ever human trial of a vaccine designed specifically for the latest Bundibugyo strain, with Oxford University already administering experimental doses to its first group of volunteers.

The vaccine uses the same technology as the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, allowing researchers to develop it roughly eight weeks after obtaining the genetic sequence of the virus.

Read also | Oxford begins first human trial of Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine

In addition, several other vaccine candidates and experimental therapies are also moving forward, offering hope that new tools could eventually help control the rare and dangerous strain.

The Ebola epidemic continues

Citing WHO data, the report said roughly 90 percent of Ebola cases originated in the northeastern province of Ituri, which shares borders with East African countries such as Uganda and South Sudan. However, the virus is no longer confined to one region and has spread to nearly five provinces, including two where cases were only recently reported.

According to a Bloomberg report, the total number of infections reached 3,200 on July 25, up from 2,344 a week earlier. Over the past two weeks, the death toll has almost doubled to 1,405. The latest figures highlight the scale of the epidemic, although expanded surveillance and retrospective case-finding have also contributed to the rapid increase in reported infections.

Citing Physicians for Human Rights, Bloomberg noted that roughly 80 percent of cases are reported outside of known contact lists, highlighting the difficulties health workers face in tracking transmission and containing the outbreak.

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Here’s everything you need to know about the Ebola virus

According to the WHO, the Ebola virus or Ebola disease (EBOD) is an uncommon but very serious viral disease that affects humans and can be fatal if not treated immediately. It is caused by viruses belonging to the Orthoebolavirus genus within the Filoviridae family. Scientists have identified six species of orthoebolaviruses, three of which are responsible for large outbreaks in humans:

Ebola virus (EBOV), which causes Ebola virus disease (EVD)

2. Sudan virus (SUDV), which causes Sudan virus disease (SVD)

3. Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), which causes Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD)

It was first identified in 1976 during two separate outbreaks that occurred at the same time. While one outbreak of Sudan virus disease was reported in Nzara in what is now South Sudan, the other involved Ebola in Yambuku, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The disease takes its name from the nearby Ebola River, near where the second outbreak occurred.

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The incubation period, or the time between infection and the appearance of symptoms, usually ranges from 2 to 21 days. Some of the symptoms of the Ebola virus include fever, fatigue, general weakness, muscle aches, headache and sore throat. As the disease progresses, patients may experience vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, skin rash, and signs of kidney and liver dysfunction.