‎Africa CDC to tackle new Ebola strain with old vaccine

Africa CDC has announced plans to deploy an existing Ebola vaccine developed for the Zaire strain as an emergency measure to combat the rapidly spreading Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), amid growing concerns over the unprecedented pace of infections.
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‎The Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Jean Kaseya, disclosed this during a virtual briefing on Thursday, August 6, 2026, saying preliminary evidence suggests the vaccine may provide protection against death, even though it does not completely prevent symptoms.
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‎The Bundibugyo strain outbreak, which was declared in eastern DRC in mid-May, has already become the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record. According to Africa CDC data, about 4,000 cases have been confirmed, with 1,801 deaths recorded as of this week.
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‎Kaseya warned that the outbreak is spreading at a rate six to eight times faster than previous Ebola outbreaks, prompting Africa CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) to investigate whether the virus may have mutated or developed unusual characteristics.
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‎“As Dr Tedros shared with me yesterday, it is time for the WHO and Africa CDC to conduct studies to determine whether there is an additional issue or if the virus is mutating, because the severity of this Bundibugyo outbreak is unprecedented,” Kaseya said.
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‎Health officials said the outbreak has expanded from nine health zones in May to 51 health zones, with the eastern Ituri region and the city of Bunia emerging as the epicentre of infections.
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‎Kaseya noted that the level of transmission has become so widespread that nearly everyone in Bunia and Ituri should be considered a potential contact of the virus.
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‎Medical experts have struggled to contain the outbreak because no approved vaccine or treatment currently exists for the relatively rare Bundibugyo strain. However, Africa CDC said limited testing of the Zaire Ebola vaccine produced encouraging results.
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‎“While vaccinated individuals still experienced some symptoms, we saw zero deaths among those who received the vaccine,” Kaseya said, adding that the findings indicate a significant level of protection.
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‎The agency also plans to expand the use of the antiviral drug remdesivir, which health authorities in neighbouring Uganda credited with helping to manage a smaller Ebola outbreak earlier this year.
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‎The response effort, however, faces additional challenges as some health workers in the worst-hit areas continue to protest over delayed salaries, poor working conditions and inadequate pay.
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‎Meanwhile, health authorities have intensified screening measures near the DRC capital, Kinshasa, after a passenger displaying Ebola-like symptoms died aboard a river vessel carrying more than 300 people.
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‎A mobile laboratory has been deployed to test passengers after the vessel was intercepted in Maluku, northeast of Kinshasa. Kaseya said the boat originated from Mongala Province, where no Ebola cases have been reported, but authorities decided to screen all passengers as a precaution while awaiting test results.
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‎Health officials have warned that the escalating outbreak poses a major public health threat, particularly in conflict-affected regions where access to healthcare and disease-control measures remains limited.