DR Congo Ebola outbreak fastest-growing

The Democratic Republic of the Congo's 2026 Ebola outbreak is expanding faster than any previous outbreak even as vaccine and treatment studies have moved into trials in weeks rather than months. CIDRAP reported on August 5 that the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, has become the fastest-growing on record. The World Health Organization said the outbreak had reached 3,605 confirmed cases and 1,587 deaths as of July 30, with spread now recorded across five provinces. WHO and partner agencies say research mobilization has been unusually rapid, but case growth continues to outstrip response capacity on the ground. ### How fast is this outbreak growing? WHO said on August 1 that 567 cases and 296 deaths were reported in epidemiological week 30, the highest weekly totals of the outbreak so far. The agency said the virus had spread from the Mongbwalu health zone in Ituri province to 49 health zones across Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé and Tshopo. WHO described the outbreak as "intensifying" and said a substantial scale-up in response activities was needed. (cidrap.umn.edu) The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on August 4 that the outbreak surpassed 1,000 confirmed cases within 40 days of response activation. CDC said the 2018 Ebola outbreak in Congo took about 235 days to pass 1,000 cases, offering a direct comparison with the current pace. CDC also said this is Congo's 17th Ebola outbreak. ### Why are trials moving so quickly this time? (who.int) Vasee Moorthy, acting head of WHO's Research and Development Blueprint program, told reporters in Geneva that trials had started more quickly than in previous Ebola outbreaks, according to CIDRAP. He said preclinical data for new candidates looked promising, even though no vaccine or treatment is approved specifically for Bundibugyo Ebola. CIDRAP said the strain behind the outbreak has caused only three previous outbreaks. (cdc.gov) WHO said patient enrolment in the PARTNERS treatment trial began on July 2 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The trial is testing the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and remdesivir, both alone and in combination, to see whether they improve survival in patients with Bundibugyo virus disease. WHO said the study is being coordinated by Congo's Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Belgium and the University of Oxford, with support from Africa CDC. (cidrap.umn.edu) ### What vaccine work is under way? CIDRAP reported that Moderna has started a phase 1 trial in Canada for its mRNA-1469 vaccine, with 80 healthy adults expected to be enrolled. The company said the study will assess safety and tolerability, and CIDRAP reported that Moderna has pledged at least 500,000 doses for low- and middle-income countries if the vaccine is licensed. (who.int) Richard Hatchett, chief executive of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, said the speed of Moderna's trial launch was a major step forward. CIDRAP reported that CEPI is funding three other vaccine candidates in parallel and has also published a database of 45 African clinical trial units prepared to conduct phase 1 Bundibugyo vaccine studies. Jean Kaseya, director-general of Africa CDC, said the database was intended to help developers move faster. (cidrap.umn.edu) ### Why is the response still falling behind? WHO said the outbreak is unfolding in a setting shaped by insecurity, displacement, mobility and cross-border movement. The agency said those conditions are complicating surveillance, contact tracing, clinical care and logistics, even as partners scale up support. WHO's overview page also says the outbreak is taking place in a remote and densely populated area, with high trade and population movement. (cidrap.umn.edu) CDC said cases have been confirmed in five Congolese provinces, while Uganda has reported imported cases linked to travel from Congo but no community spread. WHO said Uganda declared the end of its local outbreak on July 28 after 42 days without a new locally transmitted case, though the agency said the country remains at risk of reintroduction from ongoing transmission in Congo. (who.int) ### What comes next in the coming weeks? WHO said people enrolled in the PARTNERS trial will be followed for at least 28 days after enrolment, and the platform design allows additional treatments to be added later. CIDRAP reported that more than 50 confirmed Ebola patients had already been randomly assigned to treatment options at three centers in Congo, while more than 25 high-risk contacts in Ituri had been enrolled in a separate obeldesivir prevention study. (who.int) The next public milestones are likely to come from WHO's outbreak updates and trial readouts from Moderna, CEPI-backed developers and Congo's biomedical research institute. (cidrap.umn.edu)