The UN health agency on Wednesday assessed a high risk from the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola at national and regional levels, while deeming the global risk to be low. The emergency committee of the UN agency believes that, at this stage, the outbreak does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency.
To date, 51 cases have been confirmed in the Congolese provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, with nearly 600 suspected cases and 139 suspected deaths reported by the WHO. Two cases linked to the outbreak have also been detected in Kampala, Uganda.
With no licensed vaccine or specific treatment currently available for this rare strain, health authorities are working to quickly interrupt transmission in a region affected by insecurity and population displacement. Experts and medical equipment have been deployed, and treatment centers are being established with support from MONUSCO, the World Food Programme (WFP), Doctors Without Borders (MSF), and other partners.
Dr. Marie Roseline Belizaire, the WHO Emergency Director for Africa, emphasized the critical role of community trust in the response. “The speed of the response in the first days is essential to interrupt transmission and avoid a wider spread of this epidemic,” she stated. She also stressed that “Every emergency, every epidemic begins in a community and ends in a community.”
The WHO is prioritizing public trust and encouraging individuals with symptoms to report themselves without fear. “If we don’t have this community trust, no matter what actions we take, they will not be accepted,” Dr. Belizaire explained. The agency advocates for a participatory approach, learning from previous outbreaks where families hesitated to report cases or seek treatment.
To ensure effective care and monitoring, structures are being set up as close as possible to affected populations. “Families could visit their patients who are hospitalised in these treatment centres,” Dr. Belizaire noted. The objective is to provide comprehensive management, including medical care, psychosocial support, and food needs for patients, while also supporting families and contacts.
The outbreak is occurring in a complex security context marked by insecurity, population displacement, and high mobility, complicating early detection and control measures. Transporting aid also presents logistical challenges, with efforts underway to facilitate equipment transport by air. Over 11 tonnes of equipment have already been shipped to Bunia.
The WHO views the experience gained during the 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak in the same region as a significant asset, as that outbreak was contained despite similar security challenges. “This is not the first time (…) we have already had outbreaks in this region and they were controlled,” Dr. Belizaire recalled.
Unlike the more frequent and virulent Zaire strain, the Bundibugyo strain is less understood and currently lacks a licensed vaccine or specific treatment. “We have to find the right formula to explain to the community that the vaccine you received in 2018, 2020 only protects you against this [Zaire] strain. And now, you are not protected against this one,” she explained. Research efforts are underway to accelerate potential medical developments for this strain.
The WHO recommends simple community-level measures to limit transmission, including avoiding contact with bodily fluids of sick or deceased individuals and rigorous hygiene practices like regular handwashing. Prompt reporting of suspected cases and immediate consultation of health centers for sudden symptoms such as high fever, fatigue, muscle aches, vomiting, or diarrhea are crucial. Health teams need to conduct contact tracing, and health workers must be protected. The WHO also warns against rumors and emphasizes relying on information from health authorities to prevent stigmatization and protect lives.
