世界卫生组织警告，刚果民主共和国当前的埃博拉疫情按现有速度将超越2014年至2016年的最致命疫情记录[1]。那次疫情造成至少11000人死亡[1]。截至2026年，刚果疫情已报告至少4300个病例和超过2000例死亡[1]。
本轮疫情由罕见的Bundibugyo病毒株引起[1]，该病毒株历史上仅在2007年和2012年发生过两次疫情[1]。疫情于5月15日正式宣布[1]，但实际始于至少三个月前[1]。WHO非洲主任穆罕默德·贾纳比表示："我们在追逐病毒，但病毒领先于我们"[1]。
疫情防控面临多重障碍。目前尚无获批的Bundibugyo疫苗或认可的治疗药物[1]，医疗工作者的覆盖率仅约30%[1]。东部刚果的地区不稳定加剧了困难[1]。不过，英国药品监管机构MHRA已批准首个Bundibugyo疫苗的人体试验[1]，由牛津大学团队基于牛津-阿斯利康新冠疫苗技术开发[1]。WHO表示希望在三个月内控制疫情传播[1]。
The World Health Organization has warned that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is tracking toward becoming the deadliest in history at its current pace.[1] According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the epidemic will "eclipse" the 2014-2016 outbreak, which claimed more than 11,000 lives.[1] As of 2026, the current outbreak has recorded at least 4,300 cases and over 2,000 deaths, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus strain.[1]
The outbreak was formally declared on May 15, but had actually begun at least three months earlier, in February.[1] The Bundibugyo variant is particularly concerning as it has only occurred twice before, in 2007 and 2012, making vaccine and treatment development urgent.[1] Currently, no approved vaccines or recognized treatments are available, and healthcare workers are reaching only approximately 30 percent of cases.[1] WHO's African regional director stated: "We are chasing the virus, the virus is ahead of us."[1]
Regional instability and inadequate medical infrastructure in eastern Congo have severely hampered containment efforts.[1] Despite these obstacles, WHO has expressed hope of controlling the virus's spread within three months.[1] Progress toward medical countermeasures has begun, with Britain's medicines regulator MHRA approving the first human trials for a Bundibugyo vaccine being developed by Oxford University researchers, who are building on technology from the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.[1]