WHO greenlights trials for two Ebola vaccine candidates amid deadly DRC outbreak
The World Health Organization has approved clinical trials for two Ebola vaccine candidates developed by the University of Oxford with the Serum Institute of India and Moderna. The trials will be conducted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, led by its National Institute for Biomedical Research and supported by international partners. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, has infected over 10,000 people since May and killed 5,103, a fatality rate above 50%. Several countries, including Ghana and the United States, have imposed travel bans on arrivals from the DRC, a step the WHO has criticized.
Key facts
- Oxford, Serum Institute of India and Moderna collaborate on the vaccine candidates.
- DRC’s National Institute for Biomedical Research coordinates the trial.
- Bundibugyo virus outbreak started in May 2026 in the DRC.
- More than 10,000 infections and 5,103 deaths recorded.
- Travel bans by Ghana and the United States face WHO criticism.
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Why it matters
New vaccines could curb a high‑mortality outbreak and ease travel restrictions.
What changed
First published from Euronews