New Delhi, July 3, 2026

The Democratic Republic of Congo has reached a significant milestone in its fight against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola after enrolling the first patient in a clinical treatment trial. The study marks an important step toward finding an effective therapy for a strain that currently has no approved vaccine or treatment, even as health authorities continue working to contain the outbreak.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the trial began on Thursday but noted that the response continues to face serious obstacles. Referring to a deadly attack on an Ebola treatment centre in Ituri province that claimed two lives, Tedros said, “Despite all this progress, we continue to face significant challenges, including mistrust and violence.” The Bundibugyo outbreak has so far resulted in more than 1,400 confirmed cases and 438 deaths in the DRC, with the country reporting an average of 38 new confirmed infections each day over the past two weeks.

The clinical trial, expected to involve more than 1,000 patients over several months, will assess Mapp Biopharmaceutical’s experimental MBP134 antibody therapy both on its own and in combination with Gilead Sciences' antiviral drug remdesivir. According to the World Health Organization, sufficient supplies of both medicines are available for the study, while discussions are underway with the United States and Gilead to ensure continued access if the treatment proves to be safe and effective. Gilead also confirmed that it has donated more than 2,000 additional vials of remdesivir for the trial, following an earlier emergency-use donation in June.

The WHO said the overall response has strengthened, with 10 laboratories now capable of testing for Ebola, improved contact tracing efforts, and treatment capacity expanding to 650 beds, most of which are currently occupied. Plans are also in place to add 300 more beds. Separately, the organization declared the hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship officially over after the final identified contact completed quarantine and tested negative, bringing an end to an outbreak that infected 13 people and claimed three lives.