The World Health Organization now says there are nearly 600 suspected cases and 179 deaths, but a study fears the outbreak could be twice as big as is being reported due to delays in detection
A vaccine for the deadly Ebola outbreak that has killed more than 179 people in Africa could take up to nine months, health experts fear. The World Health Organization declared an international crisis after a sudden surge in cases.
There have been more than 600 cases reported and a suspected 179 deaths, but experts fear there was a delay in the virus being detected and the outbreak could be twice as big as previously feared.
World Health Organisation advisor Dr Vasee Moorthy said on Wednesday that two possible “candidate vaccines” against the Bundibugyo species are being developed, but neither had gone through clinical trials yet.
The only vaccine currently available to prevent the spread of Ebola is only affective against Zaire, one of four species of the virus known to cause diseases in humans.
Dr Moorthy said one of the possible vaccines would be the equivalent of that, adding: “This needs to be prioritised as the most promising Bundibugyo candidate vaccine.” But he warned it was “likely to take six to nine months” before it was ready.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing its 17th outbreak of Ebola, but the current outbreak is of the Bundibugyo strain, which has not been seen for more than a decade. Two cases have been confirmed in neighbouring Uganda, including one death.
Ebola itself was first discovered in what is now DR Congo in 1976, and the country is now facing its 17th outbreak of the virus. It is feared the current outbreak may have been ongoing for several weeks before it was first detected on April 24.
A perfect storm of conflict, refugee movements and a fragile health system has left the country particularly vulnerable to outbreaks, experts said. The province of Ituri, the epicentre of the outbreak, is highly insecure.
Conflict has intensified since late 2025, and fighting has escalated significantly over the past two months, with more than 100,000 people newly displaced.
The temporary camps and rapid movement makes the country vulnerable to the spread of infectious diseases. The country’s already fragile health system has been decimated by the pressures of conflict and tracking diseases has been difficult for medical staff.
Symptoms of Ebola are similar to those of other diseases such as Mpox and Malaria, making them harder to identify and control. The country is also home to massive forests, with close contact to wild animals raising the risk of diseases jumping from animals to human.
This risk is also heightened as bushmeat is an important source of food in many regions in the country, experts said.
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