DR Congo Ebola fastest-growing outbreak

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ebola outbreak is expanding faster than response teams can contain it, even after the unusually rapid launch of trials for vaccines, treatments and preventive medicines. The World Health Organization said the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, was confirmed in May 2026 and is unfolding in eastern Congo amid insecurity, population movement and difficult access. Reuters reported on August 4 that WHO said testing of experimental countermeasures was moving at unprecedented speed for this Ebola species, which has no approved vaccine or specific treatment. ### Why is the Congo Ebola outbreak drawing so much alarm? WHO said in July that the outbreak had become the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record and that many new infections were linked to unknown chains of transmission. That matters operationally because unidentified transmission chains make case finding, isolation and contact tracing harder to sustain. The United Nations News report on July 14 said WHO had described the event as the third-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded. (who.int) The Washington Post, citing the latest government update available on August 4, reported 3,802 cases and 1,707 deaths in Congo as of that Tuesday. Reuters said WHO was accelerating trials of experimental treatments, preventive medicines and vaccines as the case count rose. ### What is being tested in Congo right now? Reuters reported on August 4 that experimental treatment, preventive medicine and vaccine trials for the Bundibugyo strain were already underway or advancing rapidly in Congo. (news.un.org) Euronews reported on August 5 that Moderna had vaccinated the first participants in a trial for a Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine. WHO’s outbreak page says work is ongoing to test promising candidates because no licensed vaccine or specific treatment exists for this Ebola species. (washingtonpost.com) WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus traveled to Congo this week to support the response, according to the Washington Post. The same report said aid workers had staged strikes over pay, adding another constraint on field operations. ### How large is Madagascar’s mpox outbreak? Madagascar has reported more than 3,000 mpox infections after spread from a single port city to several of the country’s busiest coastal centers. (msn.com) Multiple reports citing health data said the country had recorded 3,022 cases and 20 deaths by late July or early August, with Toamasina and Taolagnaro accounting for more than half of reported infections. MedicalBrief said experts feared the real total was higher than official figures. (washingtonpost.com) WHO’s external situation report published June 26 said Madagascar was already among the African countries reporting the highest number of confirmed mpox cases in the period covered. That report also said 10 African countries had active transmission in the prior six weeks. ### What is Angola doing at the border? Cabinda province in Angola said it would expand mpox vaccination in the coming days, with priority for areas along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (travelvax.com.au) Reports on August 4 and August 5 said Cabinda had 109 confirmed cases and no deaths, and that more than 30,000 doses were expected from Angola’s Ministry of Health. (who.int) Earlier in 2026, Angolan authorities also vaccinated police deployed at the Yema border post in Cabinda, according to regional reports. That campaign underscored the focus on cross-border movement as a transmission risk. ### Where does Tonix’s vaccine fit in? Tonix Pharmaceuticals said TNX-801 remains a preclinical, single-dose live-virus vaccine candidate being developed for mpox and smallpox. (msn.com) Company materials and 2025 presentation data said the vaccine showed durable protection in animals and was designed to support future outbreak preparedness rather than immediate deployment in the current African outbreaks. A 2026 industry report said Tonix expected a Phase 1 study in 2027, pending U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance. (tidbits.press) The next near-term milestones are in the field rather than the lab. WHO and Congo’s health authorities are continuing Ebola countermeasure trials in eastern Congo, while Cabinda officials said expanded mpox vaccination near the DRC border would begin in the coming days. (msn.com) (tonixpharma.com)