Democratic Republic of Congo has reached a significant milestone in its fight against the deadly Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, with the first patient enrolled in a landmark clinical trial evaluating an experimental treatment that could become the world’s first approved therapy for the rare but highly lethal virus.

The announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) comes as health authorities continue to battle a rapidly expanding outbreak that has infected more than 1,400 people and claimed at least 438 lives, while ongoing violence, community mistrust and severe pressure on the country’s fragile healthcare system threaten to undermine containment efforts.

According to World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “a treatment trial for the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak enrolled its first patient on Thursday, marking a milestone in efforts to combat the epidemic.”

The development represents the first large-scale effort to scientifically evaluate a treatment specifically against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or medicines. While effective vaccines and treatments have been developed for the more common Zaire strain of the virus, Bundibugyo Ebola has remained without targeted medical interventions despite causing repeated outbreaks in Central Africa.

Under the trial, researchers will assess the effectiveness of Mapp Biopharmaceutical’s experimental antibody treatment, MBP134, both as a standalone therapy and in combination with Gilead Sciences’ antiviral drug remdesivir. The study is expected to enrol more than 1,000 patients and may take several months to complete.

WHO noted that sufficient quantities of the investigational medicines are currently available for the trial. The agency is also holding discussions with the United States, which donated supplies of MBP134, and with Gilead Sciences to ensure continued access to the drugs should they prove safe and effective.

Despite this scientific progress, the outbreak continues to spread at an alarming pace.

According to WHO, the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded an average of 38 new confirmed Ebola infections every day over the past two weeks, underscoring the urgency of accelerating both treatment and containment efforts.

The response has also been complicated by insecurity in affected regions. Tedros revealed that an attack on an Ebola treatment centre in Ituri Province resulted in the deaths of two people, highlighting the dangers faced by healthcare workers responding to the epidemic. “Despite all this progress, we continue to face significant challenges, including mistrust and violence,” the WHO Chief added.

Violence against health workers has repeatedly hampered Ebola responses in eastern Congo over recent years, where armed conflict, population displacement and community distrust have complicated surveillance, contact tracing and treatment operations.

Even so, international health agencies report important improvements in the overall response capacity.

Tedros added that the number of laboratories capable of testing Ebola samples has increased to ten, significantly strengthening diagnostic capacity across affected provinces.

Health teams are also successfully monitoring approximately four out of every five identified contacts of confirmed Ebola patients, although WHO acknowledged that additional efforts are needed to identify more potential contacts linked to each infection in order to interrupt chains of transmission.

Treatment facilities have likewise expanded substantially. According to the WHO, 650 treatment beds are now available across outbreak areas, with approximately 96 percent currently occupied. Health partners are working to establish an additional 300 beds to accommodate the growing number of patients requiring specialised care.

The latest developments offer cautious optimism that scientific advances and strengthened emergency response measures could eventually slow the epidemic.

Malaria Threatens to Claim More Lives Than Ebola in DRC Outbreak

As health authorities focus on containing Ebola, medical experts are increasingly warning that other preventable diseases particularly malaria could ultimately claim even more lives than the virus itself.

The Ebola outbreak has placed extraordinary pressure on an already fragile healthcare system, discouraging many residents from seeking medical attention for common illnesses because of fears surrounding Ebola treatment centres.

According to Health officials, humanitarian organisations and frontline medical workers patients experiencing fever and other symptoms are increasingly avoiding clinics, worried they may be isolated as suspected Ebola cases or never return home.

Bill Steiger, Chief Executive Officer of the non-profit organisation Malaria No More, warned that history suggests malaria could become an even deadlier consequence of the crisis.

“As has been the case in nearly every Ebola epidemic, it is likely that more people will die of malaria during this outbreak than of Ebola.”
Bill Steiger

The warning reflects the enormous burden malaria already places on the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to WHO estimates, the country recorded approximately 35 million malaria cases and 68,000 deaths in 2024, making it the second most malaria-affected nation globally after Nigeria.

The risk has been heightened by longstanding weaknesses in disease prevention programmes.

Additionally, Dr. Aimé Mbonda, Emergency Health Coordinator for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Bunia, estimated that nearly half of people experiencing symptoms may now avoid seeking medical care altogether.

“Because people are waiting, we are now receiving more complicated cases, and deaths. This is a big challenge.”
Dr. Aimé Mbonda

He added that healthcare teams had encountered numerous people who were reluctant even to admit they were experiencing symptoms because of fears surrounding Ebola.