DRC Ebola Cases Top 4,000 as WHO Recommends Ervebo Vaccine for Phase 3 Trial

DRC government data reported 4,053 confirmed Bundibugyo cases and 1,850 deaths as of 5 August 2026 (published 6-7 August), spanning 53 health zones in five provinces, with 87% of cases in Ituri. On 7 August, WHO's Technical Advisory Group on candidate vaccine prioritization recommended that Ervebo (rVSV-ZEBOV) — the only licensed Ebola vaccine, approved for the Zaire strain — be prioritized for a Phase 3 ring-vaccination trial in DRC to test cross-protection against Bundibugyo virus, for which no dedicated vaccine exists. The recommendation followed animal data showing 3 of 4 vaccinated primates survived Bundibugyo challenge versus 1 of 4 controls, and a ferret study showing 100% protection with a research-grade formulation versus 0% in controls. WHO cautioned that efficacy expectations should be managed, noting protection against a fatal outcome may be more achievable than protection against infection or transmission. Gavi CEO Dr. Sania Nishtar said: 'This is already the largest Ebola outbreak in DRC's history, and could well become the largest outbreak ever.' Gavi maintains a 500,000-dose Ervebo stockpile with doses already deployed to DRC and has committed $40 million from its First Response Fund toward Bundibugyo-specific vaccine development.