Vaccine-Free Ebola Strain Spreads to Europe as Outbreak Grows

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, officially declared on May 15, 2026, continues to spread faster than humanitarian responders can contain, with 344 confirmed cases and 60 deaths in the DRC and additional cases reported in Uganda and among travellers in Europe. The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccines or drugs, and World Food Programme country director David Stevenson warned after visiting the city of Bunia that the region faces compounded challenges of food insecurity, conflict, displacement and governance issues that severely restrict aid access. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated the outbreak "had a big head start," with investigations suggesting it may have begun as early as January, and warned that only about 45 percent of contacts are currently being traced, far below the 90 percent needed to control spread. The outbreak has been designated a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and is now the third-largest Ebola outbreak in history, with 906 suspected cases and 223 deaths in the DRC as of late May. Testing has been complicated by the fact that common Ebola tests do not properly detect the Bundibugyo strain, creating delays and a backlog of samples, though WHO emergency operations director Abdirahman Mahamud said lab teams have now completed 1,445 tests, nearly clearing the backlog. Health authorities are investigating suspected cases in Italy and Brazil among travellers returning from affected regions, while an American man who tested positive in the DRC is being treated in Germany. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations has committed $8.6 million to accelerate vaccine development against the Bundibugyo strain. Humanitarian operations face significant obstacles beyond the virus itself. Stevenson noted that attacks in the city of Beni have disrupted movement between the airport and town, increasing risks for aid workers and civilians in an already volatile region. Approximately 1.7 million people in affected provinces were already facing emergency-level food insecurity before the outbreak emerged, and WFP is reshaping its programmes to prioritise Ebola-affected communities while simultaneously addressing underlying hunger to encourage participation in disease-control measures. WHO emergencies head Chikwe Ihekweazu said the response will require at least $115 million over three months, but only about 35 percent of that funding is currently available, and a wider fundraising plan will be launched with partners including Africa CDC and the governments of DRC and Uganda.