The World Health Organization (WHO) says it could take up to nine months before a vaccine against this particular species of Ebola is ready. Two possible candidate vaccines against the Bundibugyo species are being developed, but neither has undergone clinical trials yet, according to WHO advisor Dr. Vasee Moorthy.
WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that there have been 600 suspected cases of Ebola and 139 suspected deaths, with numbers expected to rise as detection efforts continue. The outbreak has claimed 51 confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the first case recorded in the eastern Ituri province, and two confirmed cases in Uganda.
On Sunday, the WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern but clarified that it is not at a pandemic level. The emergency committee of the organization has assessed the risk of the epidemic as high nationally and regionally but low globally.
Local health facilities in DR Congo are already overwhelmed with suspected cases. Health workers' safety remains a pressing concern as they work without adequate protective equipment, while the UK government has pledged up to £20m to assist in containing the outbreak through improved health services and surveillance.
Initial findings indicate that the first known case was a nurse who succumbed to the disease on April 24, drawing much concern from the community as Ebola is known to spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, leading to severe health complications.
The Bundibugyo species has shown its history of severity, although it is less deadly than other forms of Ebola. Despite lesser fatalities, the rarity of Bundibugyo makes combatting it more challenging compared to more familiar strains.
The WHO is prioritizing the development of candidate vaccines that target Bundibugyo, with expectations that supplies might become available for clinical testing in a few months, paving the way for potentially curtailing this emerging health crisis.
