Harvard Expert Explains 2026 Ebola Outbreak: Bundibugyo Strain, Case Fatality Rates, and Response Challenges (hsph.harvard.edu)

• Bundibugyo virus causes third largest Ebola outbreak on record
• No approved vaccine or antiviral therapy for Bundibugyo strain
• WHO declared PHEIC on May 17, 2026

"On May 21, 2026, Harvard Chan School published a Q&A with Professor Yonatan Grad on the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, began in late April in the DRC and has spread to Uganda, with over 600 infections and more than 130 deaths as of mid-May. The WHO declared a PHEIC on May 17. No approved vaccines or treatments exist for this strain. Challenges include lack of diagnostics, armed conflict, and foreign aid cuts. Modeling estimates suggest 400-800 cases as of May 17, possibly over 1,000."