For five months, doctors in eastern Congo have been fighting an Ebola strain with no approved vaccine. On Friday, the first people finally rolled up their sleeves for a shot that might help.
A clinical trial of Ebola vaccines, called the Tumaini trial, began on October 23, 2026 in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The country is leading the study with support from the World Health Organization (WHO). The first participants received Ervebo, a vaccine already licensed against a different Ebola strain, to test whether it also protects against the Bundibugyo virus driving the current outbreak.
Quick Facts
- Who: DR Congo health authorities, backed by WHO; vaccine candidates funded by CEPI
- What: First vaccine trial of the 2026 Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak, named Tumaini (Swahili for “hope”)
- When: First doses given on Friday, October 23, 2026
- Where: Bunia, Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak
- Key number: 9,704 confirmed cases and 4,687 deaths in DR Congo as of October 21, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
How the Ebola Vaccine Trial Works
The Tumaini trial uses ring vaccination. Instead of vaccinating a whole town, health teams vaccinate the people most likely to catch the virus next: contacts of confirmed patients, and the contacts of those contacts. It is the same method that helped bring earlier Ebola outbreaks under control.
The trial is built as a single framework that can test several vaccines for safety, immune response and how well they actually prevent disease. According to Al Jazeera, it will include pregnant women and children aged 12 and older, groups that are often left out of vaccine studies.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the start on X, writing that “science gives us hope.” The number of people enrolled so far has not been made public.
Why Bundibugyo Ebola Is So Hard to Stop
“Ebola” is not one virus. There are several species, and the vaccines the world already has were built for the Zaire strain, which caused the huge West Africa epidemic and most past outbreaks in Congo.
This outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species. WHO has said there is still no proven safe and effective vaccine or treatment for it. Ervebo’s protection against Bundibugyo has not been shown in humans. Earlier this year, WHO advisers recommended testing it after preliminary animal data suggested some cross-protection, especially in cutting deaths.
Congo’s Worst Ebola Outbreak in Numbers
DR Congo declared this outbreak in May 2026. It is the country’s 17th Ebola outbreak and its worst on record. It is also the largest Bundibugyo outbreak ever recorded.
- ECDC lists 9,704 confirmed cases and 4,687 related deaths in DR Congo, based on data up to October 20.
- Eight provinces are affected: Ituri, Nord-Kivu, Sud-Kivu, Tshopo, Haut-Uélé, Bas-Uélé, Sud Ubangi and Nord Ubangi.
- WHO has declared a public health emergency of international concern.
The virus has also crossed borders. ECDC reported nine confirmed cases in Kenya as of October 22, all linked to the first patient there. Kenya later announced a second death, a close relative of the first patient, and said there was no evidence of community spread, according to Al Jazeera and The Hindu. Nigeria reported its first case on October 20 in Abuja, in a person who had travelled to Uganda, and 44 contacts have been identified. ECDC says Uganda’s own outbreak has ended, though reports say Uganda is now tightening rules for travellers coming from Congo.
The India Link: Serum Institute and the Oxford Vaccine
Ervebo is only the first vaccine in the trial. Two shots designed specifically for Bundibugyo are expected to join “shortly”, according to CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which funds both.
- ChAdOx1 BDBV: Developed by the University of Oxford with the Pune-based Serum Institute of India. It uses the same viral-vector platform as the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, which India knew as Covishield.
- mRNA candidate: Developed by US company Moderna.
Both are still in earlier, smaller trials. The Oxford shot entered a Phase 1 study in the UK in July with healthy adult volunteers. Reports at the time said the Serum Institute handled manufacturing and supplied the trial doses, and had also built a stockpile of the candidate vaccine for possible use if it works.
What We Don’t Know Yet
- How many people will be enrolled in the Tumaini trial, and over what period.
- Whether Ervebo gives meaningful protection against Bundibugyo in people.
- The exact date the Oxford and Moderna candidates will be added.
- When the first results could be shared.
What This Means for You
For most readers in India, the direct risk is low. No case has been reported in India by the sources we checked. Ebola spreads through close contact with the blood or body fluids of a sick person, not through the air like flu.
If you are planning travel to East or Central Africa, check your government’s latest travel advisory and the country’s entry rules before you book. If you develop fever, weakness or bleeding within three weeks of returning from an affected area, see a doctor and tell them where you travelled.
The Bigger Picture
Vaccine trials usually take years to set up. This one has started roughly five months after the outbreak was declared, inside the epicentre itself. If any of the shots work, the data from Bunia could shape how the next Bundibugyo outbreak is handled, not just this one.
FAQs
Is there a vaccine for Bundibugyo Ebola?
Not an approved one. WHO says no vaccine has been proven safe and effective against Bundibugyo, which is why the Tumaini trial is testing Ervebo and two new candidates.
Where is the Ebola vaccine trial happening?
It started in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in northeastern DR Congo, which is the centre of the outbreak.
How many Ebola cases are there in DR Congo?
ECDC reported 9,704 confirmed cases and 4,687 deaths as of October 21, 2026, across eight provinces.
Is the Serum Institute making an Ebola vaccine?
Yes, it is working with the University of Oxford on ChAdOx1 BDBV, a Bundibugyo-specific candidate that is expected to join the Tumaini trial.
Has Ebola reached India?
None of the official updates we reviewed list a case in India. Cases outside Congo have been reported in Kenya and Nigeria.
For the latest official figures, see the ECDC outbreak page and WHO Disease Outbreak News.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera, Sahara Reporters, ECDC and Medical Dialogues.
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