Ebola in DR Congo: First participant in the “Tumaini” clinical trial vaccinated against Bundibugyo virus in Bunia

A first participant was vaccinated in Bunia on Friday as part of the Tumaini clinical trial, which is evaluating several vaccine candidates against Bundibugyo virus. The DRC, where an outbreak declared on May 15, 2026 had caused 9,552 cases and 4,602 deaths by October 21, has no vaccine specifically approved against the virus. The phase 2/3 trial begins with Ervebo and plans to add candidates from Moderna and the University of Oxford, using approaches including ring vaccination. The study is co-led by the DRC’s INRB and the University of Antwerp’s Global Health Institute, under the supervision of the Congolese Ministry of Health.