Although less deadly than other Ebola species, the rarity of Bundibugyo means there are fewer tools to stop it.
There is no approved vaccine for Bundibugyo, but experimental ones are in development. It is possible that a vaccine for Zaire may offer some protection.
Speaking alongside Tedros on Wednesday, WHO adviser Moorthy said one possible vaccine currently under development “would be the equivalent of” the only vaccine currently available to prevent the spread of Ebola. This is only affective against Zaire.
“This needs to be prioritised as the most promising Bundibugyo candidate vaccine,” he explained.
According to what they know, he said it was “likely to take six to nine months” before it was ready.
On the second possible vaccine, based on the same platform as the AstraZeneca vaccine used for Covid-19, Moorthy said it was currently being manufactured, but there was no animal data to support its effectiveness.
“It is possible that doses of that could be available for clinical trial in two to three months, but there is a lot of uncertainty,” he added, explaining that it would depend on animal trials as to whether it could be considered “a promising candidate research vaccine” for Bundibugyo.
There are also no drugs that target Bundibugyo, which makes it harder to treat.
Following criticism from the US on Tuesday that the WHO was “a little late” in identifying the outbreak, Ghebreyesus said these comments might have been caused by a lack of understanding.
“We should appreciate what was done so fast in a highly complex setting,” the WHO said.
Initial symptoms of Ebola mirror illnesses such as malaria and typhoid, which are common in DR Congo.
Eastern DR Congo is also badly hit by years of conflict, bringing additional difficulties in dealing with the virus.
