WHO Lists Bundibugyo Ebola Test

The World Health Organization (WHO) has added the first molecular diagnostic test for the Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV) to its Emergency Use Listing (EUL) on July 2, 2026. This test, the Altona RealStar Filovirus Screen RT-PCR Kit 1.0, detects the virus's genetic material in blood samples, enabling rapid and accurate confirmation of infection. This development is critical for responding to the largest recorded outbreak of Ebola caused by BDBV, which was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on May 17, 2026. The outbreak has significantly affected the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with 1,406 confirmed cases and 438 deaths, and has also seen cases in Uganda. The EUL process aims to accelerate access to reliable diagnostic tools, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and supports procurement agencies and governments in public health emergencies. The WHO, in collaboration with the United States — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and partners like PATH, FIND, CHAI, and Unitaid, has expanded laboratory testing capacity and is establishing a joint validation platform for diagnostic products. Additionally, a clinical trial for potential treatments, including Mapp Biopharmaceutical's MBP134 antibody and Gilead Sciences' remdesivir, has begun in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.