Ebola outbreak: Case tally reaches 3,200 as UK approves human trial of vaccine for Bundibugyo strain

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently updated the number of Ebola infection cases to over 3,200, making it the third-largest outbreak on record within a matter of days, after 856 new confirmed cases were reported over the past week.

The outbreak began in May 2026 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain. Since then, it has spread rapidly to several provinces and crossed the border into neighbouring Uganda.

According to Discover magazine, the outbreak, which has become the third-largest on record and is set to become the second-largest, has already claimed over 1,400 lives.

With no approved vaccines or treatments available for this uncommon Ebola strain, multiple institutions are working to develop new vaccines to slow the spread of the disease, which is often fatal.

New vaccine for rare Bundibugyo strain soon?

According to reports, Ebola has caused over 15,000 deaths across Africa over the last five decades as scientists continue to work to quickly close the treatment gap. Earlier this month, the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) approved the first-ever human trial of a vaccine designed specifically for the latest Bundibugyo strain, with Oxford University already administering the experimental doses to its first group of volunteers.

The vaccine uses the same technology as the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, allowing researchers to develop it roughly eight weeks after obtaining the virus's genetic sequence.

Additionally, several other vaccine candidates and experimental therapies are also moving forward, offering hope that new tools could eventually help control the rare and dangerous strain.

Ebola outbreak continues

Citing WHO data, the report noted that roughly 90 per cent of Ebola cases originate from the northeastern province of Ituri, which shares borders with East African countries such as Uganda and South Sudan. However, the virus is no longer confined to one region and has spread to nearly five provinces, including two where cases were reported only recently.

According to a Bloomberg report, the total infection tally reached 3,200 on July 25, up from 2,344 a week earlier. In the last two weeks, the death toll has almost doubled to 1,405. The latest figures highlight the scale of the epidemic, though expanded surveillance and retrospective case finding have also contributed to the rapid rise in reported infections.

Citing Physicians for Human Rights, Bloomberg noted that roughly 80 per cent of the cases are being reported outside known contact lists, highlighting the difficulties that health workers face in tracing transmission and containing the outbreak.

Here's all you need to know about the Ebola virus

According to the WHO, the Ebola virus, or Ebola disease (EBOD), is an unusual but highly serious viral illness that affects humans and can prove to be fatal if not treated immediately. It is caused by viruses belonging to the Orthoebolavirus genus within the Filoviridae family. Scientists have identified six species of Orthoebolaviruses, three of which are responsible for major outbreaks in humans:

1. Ebola virus (EBOV), which causes Ebola virus disease (EVD)

2. Sudan virus (SUDV), which causes Sudan virus disease (SVD)

3. Bundibugyo virus (BDBV), which causes Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD)

It was first identified in 1976 during two separate outbreaks that occurred at the same time. While one outbreak of Sudan virus disease was reported in Nzara, present-day South Sudan, the second involved the Ebola virus in Yambuku, in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The disease derives its name from the nearby Ebola River, close to where the second outbreak occurred.

The incubation period, or the time between infection and the appearance of symptoms, typically ranges from 2 to 21 days. Some of the symptoms of the Ebola virus include fever, fatigue, general weakness, muscle aches, headache, and a sore throat. As the disease progresses, patients may experience vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, skin rash, and signs of impaired kidney and liver function.