The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is grappling with its most severe Ebola outbreak on record, with the Bundibugyo species of the virus driving a crisis that has claimed over 3,200 lives and infected nearly 6,800 people as of September 7, 2026. The outbreak, which has spread across six provinces, has a case-fatality rate of 48.3%, with Ituri, North Kivu, and Haut-Uélé remaining the hardest-hit regions. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the epidemic as expanding
faster than any previous Ebola outbreak,
highlighting the urgency of the situation. Despite global health efforts, no vaccine is currently approved for the Bundibugyo strain, which was first identified during an outbreak in Uganda in 2007. This gap in preparedness has left health workers and communities vulnerable, as existing vaccines like MSD’s Ervebo, designed for the Zaire species, offer
cross-protection. The World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa CDC have deployed 70,000 doses of Ervebo to the DRC, with 50,000 reserved for health workers and 20,000 for a trial assessing its potential against Bundibugyo. However, officials caution that the evidence for efficacy remains insufficient for widespread use.
In response to the crisis, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has accelerated efforts to develop a targeted vaccine. On July 30, 2026, CEPI allocated up to $8.5 million to Hilleman Laboratories, a Singapore-based firm co-owned by MSD and the Wellcome Foundation, to advance a Bundibugyo vaccine candidate. The project, which originated from research by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and the World Health Organization (WHO), aims to produce doses for human trials by year’s end. Hilleman’s candidate, built on the same recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV) platform as Ervebo, has shown protective efficacy in primate studies and could be stored under standard refrigeration, addressing logistical challenges in eastern DRC’s limited cold-chain infrastructure.
CEPI is also supporting multiple other candidates, including Moderna’s mRNA-1469 and the University of Oxford’s ChAdOx1 BDBV, both in early-phase human trials. A third candidate from Egypt’s Minapharm Group, developed by German biotech ProBioGen, is set to enter Phase 1 trials in Africa. Despite these efforts, the timeline for a viable vaccine remains constrained. Hilleman’s trial-ready doses are not expected until late 2026, with further clinical testing required before broader deployment. Mandeep Dhingra, CEPI’s director of research and development, criticized the global pattern of
costly cycle of panic and neglect,
arguing that investment in vaccines for less common strains like Bundibugyo has been historically inadequate. CEPI is now seeking $2.5 billion for its 100 Days Mission, aiming to develop vaccines within 100 days of identifying future pathogens. However, the DRC outbreak underscores the challenges of this goal, as the current response lags behind the crisis.
The outbreak’s rapid spread has also raised concerns about public health infrastructure. A WHO investigation traced the outbreak to mid-January 2026, with early cases misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid. Over 155 health workers have been infected, 45 of whom died, while children account for nearly a third of fatalities despite making up a quarter of cases. The lack of a targeted vaccine has forced reliance on experimental approaches, including the use of Ervebo in research protocols. MSD, which produces Ervebo, is collaborating with Hilleman to share manufacturing expertise, emphasizing the need for cross-organizational partnerships in outbreak response.
As the DRC’s health system struggles to contain the crisis, the global community faces a critical test of its preparedness for emerging infectious diseases. The Bundibugyo outbreak highlights the urgent need for diversified vaccine research and sustained funding, particularly for strains with limited historical precedence. With the WHO and CEPI advocating for expanded investment, the coming months will determine whether the world can break the cycle of reactive responses and build a more resilient public health framework. For now, the race to develop a Bundibugyo vaccine remains a race against time, with millions of lives hanging in the balance.