LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- With hundreds of lives already lost in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organization (WHO) has begun testing two potential treatments for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in a major effort to curb the ongoing health emergency.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Thursday that the first participant has already been enrolled in the clinical trial in the DRC.
The trial research is being sponsored by the WHO and coordinated by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale, the Institute of Tropical Medicine, and the University of Oxford.
Since the outbreak, the Bundibugyo strain has had no approved vaccine or treatment, making the study an important milestone for scientists searching for effective ways to reduce deaths caused by the virus.
Speaking at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Tedros confirmed the trial had officially started.
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“The clinical trial of two therapeutics began, with the enrolment of the first patient,” he announced.
He added that although some infected patients recover without approved medicines, effective treatments could dramatically improve survival rates.
“Even without approved therapeutics, people are recovering from this disease, but of course, we could save many more lives with safe and effective therapeutics in our toolkit,” Ghebreyesus added.
The current Ebola outbreak began in May and has since been declared a public health emergency by the WHO.
Latest figures show the DRC has recorded 1,406 confirmed infections, 301 suspected cases and 438 deaths as of June 30.
Notably, Uganda has confirmed 20 infections and two deaths, while France has reported one confirmed case.
Ebola is a severe viral disease that attacks the body’s immune system and vital organs.
The virus is commonly found in animals, particularly fruit bats, but human outbreaks can begin after contact with infected wildlife.
Once symptoms develop, infected people can spread the virus to others.
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Health experts maintain that symptoms usually appear between two and 21 days after exposure.
Early signs often resemble malaria or influenza, including fever, headache and extreme tiredness, making early diagnosis more challenging.
Scientists note that Ebola exists in six different species, but only three have caused outbreaks in humans.
Ultimately, vaccines must be specifically developed for each strain, highlighting why the search for treatments targeting the Bundibugyo virus is considered a major public health priority.
