Why Bundibugyo Ebola is spreading faster than other strains
The Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus is currently causing an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with cases reported in several other countries. Health experts are monitoring the situation as this strain shows different transmission and mortality characteristics compared to the Zaire and Sudan variants.
Why it matters
Understanding the specific characteristics of the Bundibugyo strain is essential for global health authorities to manage containment and prevent further international spread.
Medical workers in protective suits transfer the body of an Ebola victim in Mongbwalu, Ituri province, eastern DRC on May 24, 2026. /XINHUA The Ebola virus disease was first identified in 1976 after an outbreak in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Since then, different strains of the virus have emerged periodically from animal hosts and infected people in several African countries.
The Bundibugyo virus is the most recently discovered type of Ebola virus. It was identified in Uganda in 2007 and causes death in about 30 per cent of people who contract it.
The current outbreak was confirmed on May 15, 2026, in Ituri Province, eastern DRC.
The Bundibugyo virus, together with the earlier versions of the disease — Ebola virus and Sudan virus — accounts for most large Ebola outbreaks in Africa.
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