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"These new guidelines are a perfect example of how WHO leverages science to better protect and care for people during outbreaks and health emergencies," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. "The current Bundibugyo virus outbreak is a stark reminder of the need for diligent, holistic and person-focused medical care, to save lives and preserve human dignity."
Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya warned on 16 June that if the outbreak is not contained, "it will surpass the severity of what we experienced in West Africa," referring to the 2014–2016 epidemic that killed more than 11,000 people. Modelling from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that if only 20% of patients are isolated, there is a 65% chance case numbers could exceed 20,000 within three months.
Thomas Geisbert, a virologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch, told Nature that MBP134 led to recovery in five of six monkeys infected with Bundibugyo virus in a 2019 study. "It's a true therapeutic," he said. The doses are owned by the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, and Mapp's CEO Larry Zeitlin confirmed sufficient supply for a trial. The DRC health minister announced on 30 May that US authorities had agreed to support a Phase 2 trial of an experimental antibody treatment in Congo. Vaccine candidates from Oxford University and Moderna could enter Phase 1 trials as early as July.
WHO Releases First Clinical Guidelines for All Ebola and Marburg Viruses as Bundibugyo Outbreak Tops 837 Cases
June 19, 2026
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The World Health Organization has published its first comprehensive clinical guidelines covering every known species of Ebola and Marburg virus. The release comes as a fast-moving Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda surpasses 837 confirmed cases and 196 deaths, with no approved vaccine or treatment yet available for this rare strain.
A First-of-Its-Kind Rulebook for Filovirus Care
The World Health Organization on Tuesday released its first comprehensive clinical guidelines covering all major filovirus diseases, including every known species of Ebola and Marburg virus. The guidelines set out 16 evidence-based recommendations focused on improving survival through early supportive care: managing dehydration and shock, identifying bacterial co-infections, monitoring patients with laboratory tests, and providing structured aftercare for survivors."These new guidelines are a perfect example of how WHO leverages science to better protect and care for people during outbreaks and health emergencies," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. "The current Bundibugyo virus outbreak is a stark reminder of the need for diligent, holistic and person-focused medical care, to save lives and preserve human dignity."
An Outbreak Outpacing Containment
The guidelines arrive as the DRC battles its 17th Ebola outbreak since 1976. As of 15 June, the DRC health ministry reported 837 confirmed cases and 196 deaths, with 376 patients in isolation. Uganda has recorded 19 confirmed cases and two deaths. The WHO declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on 17 May, the first time a director-general invoked that designation before convening an emergency committee.Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya warned on 16 June that if the outbreak is not contained, "it will surpass the severity of what we experienced in West Africa," referring to the 2014–2016 epidemic that killed more than 11,000 people. Modelling from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that if only 20% of patients are isolated, there is a 65% chance case numbers could exceed 20,000 within three months.
The Race for Treatments
No approved vaccine or therapeutic exists for the Bundibugyo strain, making the emphasis on supportive care all the more urgent. A WHO-sponsored clinical trial is being prepared to test two experimental treatments: remdesivir, made by Gilead Sciences, and MBP134, a monoclonal antibody cocktail developed by Mapp Biopharmaceutical. Experts also recommended prioritising maftivimab for evaluation.Thomas Geisbert, a virologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch, told Nature that MBP134 led to recovery in five of six monkeys infected with Bundibugyo virus in a 2019 study. "It's a true therapeutic," he said. The doses are owned by the U.S. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, and Mapp's CEO Larry Zeitlin confirmed sufficient supply for a trial. The DRC health minister announced on 30 May that US authorities had agreed to support a Phase 2 trial of an experimental antibody treatment in Congo. Vaccine candidates from Oxford University and Moderna could enter Phase 1 trials as early as July.
Published June 19, 2026 at 2:23am
