WHO experts advise on Bundibugyo virus treatments amid Congo and Uganda outbreak
Advisory groups recommend candidate products be restricted to clinical trials to ensure ethical research and generate robust data as transmission control measures intensify.
The World Health Organization has convened expert advisory groups to evaluate potential vaccines and therapeutics for the Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. With no licensed treatments or vaccines specifically approved for the prevention and treatment of BVD, the WHO R&D Blueprint technical advisory groups have recommended that all identified candidate products be used exclusively within clinical trials. This approach aims to generate robust data while ensuring safe, ethical, and effective research practices.
The WHO has declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, noting a high national and regional risk but a low global risk. The first known case, a nurse, developed symptoms and died in Bunia, Ituri province, on 24 April. Subsequently, the body of the first case was repatriated to Mongwalu, a gold-mining town where the majority of cases have been reported. Current figures indicate 51 confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and two in Uganda, with numbers expected to rise.
In parallel with the technical advisory meetings, the WHO convened the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) and its Ebola vaccine working group. These groups are advising on the potential role of licensed Ebola vaccines during BVD outbreaks. While there are currently no licensed therapeutics or vaccines specifically approved for BVD, advisory groups considered several candidate products that are promising enough to warrant prioritisation for evaluation in clinical trials.
The WHO is collaborating closely with the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the ANRS Emerging infectious diseases, and other scientific partners. Together, they are developing and implementing protocols for clinical field trials to assess the safety and efficacy of prioritised therapeutics. The WHO is calling for accelerated access to essential supplies, stronger community protection, engagement and trust, and coordinated investment in the research, development, and evaluation of BVD countermeasures.
In the interim, priority is placed on established transmission control measures that have been used for decades in Ebola responses. These include disease surveillance, rapid testing and diagnosis, contact tracing, isolation and care for patients, infection prevention and control, community engagement, and safe and dignified burials. All research must adhere to the highest ethical standards, under the leadership of national health authorities and in close consultation with affected communities.
The WHO R&D Blueprint is a global initiative aimed at fast-tracking the availability of proven effective tests, vaccines, and medicines during epidemics. SAGE serves as the principal advisory group to the WHO for vaccines and immunization, charged with advising on global policies and strategies ranging from technology and research to delivery and linkages with other health interventions.
The response aligns with the theme of World Health Day 2026, “Together for health. Stand with science,” which marks a year-long campaign to highlight science as the foundation for protecting health and well-being worldwide. The WHO continues to lead global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance at a safe and healthy life, connecting nations, partners, and people on the front lines in more than 150 locations.
