Ebola outbreak in DRC prompts church outreach and rapid vaccine development

The World Health Organization has confirmed more than 320 cases of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with another 116 suspected and 15 cases reported in neighboring Uganda. The outbreak, centred in Ituri province, has caused 61 deaths out of 359 confirmed infections. Church leaders, including Bishop Martin Gordon of Goma, are mobilising clergy, distributing hygiene kits and delivering trusted health messages to counter misinformation and encourage safe burial practices.

Scientists at the University of Oxford’s Vaccine Group are adapting the ChAdOx1 platform – used for the Oxford‑AstraZeneca COVID‑19 vaccine – to develop a new vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain. The team received fast‑track funding from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations alongside Moderna and IAVI and aim to begin phase‑1 clinical trials soon, accelerating the usual development timeline.

Both the community‑based response and the accelerated vaccine work underline the urgent need to contain the outbreak amid ongoing conflict, displacement and fragile health infrastructure in the region.