The World Health Organisation revealed on Wednesday that clinical trials for two potential Ebola treatments will commence in the Democratic Republic of Congo next week. Since the outbreak began on May 15, authorities have confirmed 1,048 cases and 277 deaths, though experts suspect the actual figures are higher. This specific outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which no verified vaccines or cures currently exist.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that preparations are finalized for testing the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir. These will be evaluated individually and in combination to determine if they can lower mortality rates. The United States and Gilead Sciences provided the necessary medication. Research will take place in the Ituri province, with an expected enrollment of 500 to 1,000 participants, according to WHO research official Vasee Moorthy. The study is a collaborative effort involving the DRC’s National Institute for Biomedical Research, ALIMA, and Oxford University.
While treatment bed capacity has expanded from 10 to over 500 and daily testing capability has increased to 3,000, Tedros warned that the virus is still spreading faster than the response. Major hurdles remain, including inadequate isolation facilities, insufficient funding, and difficulties in conducting safe burials. Furthermore, contact tracing remains below the 95 percent goal, currently sitting at just over 70 percent. Tedros noted that the lack of a vaccine makes it difficult to incentivize people to come forward, as they face quarantine without the benefit of preventative medicine. A joint response plan is currently seeking $518 million to address these needs.
