Ebola treatments trial begins in the Democratic Republic of Congo



Congolese health workers receive a patient at the Rwampara General Hospital
Congolese health workers receive a patient at the Rwampara General Hospital. Reuters


A clinical trial of potential treatments for the Bundibugyo virus strain—which drives the current severe Ebola outbreak—has begun under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO). The first patient was enrolled in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a milestone noted by WHO Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.


The outbreak, declared a public‑health emergency by the WHO, has produced more than 1,400 confirmed cases and 438 deaths in the DRC alone. No approved vaccines or therapeutics exist for the Bundibugyo strain, making effective treatment urgent.


The study is sponsored by the WHO and coordinated by researchers from the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (DRC), the Institute of Tropical Medicine (Belgium), and the University of Oxford (UK). The trial will evaluate two experimental therapeutics in a carefully controlled setting.


"Even without approved therapeutics, people are recovering from this disease, but of course, we could save many more lives with safe and effective therapeutics in our toolkit," said Tedros in a Geneva press briefing.



Hope for Reduced Mortality Amiding Rising Numbers


The current Ebola outbreak started in May and has spread in both the DRC and Uganda. WHO data shows 1,406 confirmed cases in the DRC (with 301 suspected cases) and 438 deaths as of 30 June. Uganda reports 20 confirmed cases, including two deaths, and France has seen one confirmed case as of 1 July.


Ebola originates from viruses that attack the body’s immune system and organs. It usually infects animals such as fruit bats, but spill‑over events—often through handling infected animals—can trigger human outbreaks. Symptoms appear after a latent period of 2 to 21 days, starting abruptly with fever, headache, and fatigue. Diagnosis is confirmed via laboratory tests of bodily fluids.


Vaccines need to be species‑specific; with six Ebola species identified, only three have historically caused human outbreaks. Development of such vaccines is slow, which is why therapeutic trials are critical at this stage.