Scientists from Stellenbosch University have joined international efforts to contain and study the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

This follows the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the situation a Public Health Emergency of International Concern earlier this month.

The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, was declared a global health emergency by the WHO on May 17 amid growing fears of regional spread across Central and East Africa.

Researchers at the university’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences have rapidly mobilised scientific and operational support through the Biomedical Research Institute.

Professor Jean B. Nachega, director of the Biomedical Research Institute, is serving on the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Emergency Consultative Group advising on the continental response.

“This outbreak requires an urgent and highly co-ordinated response focused on strengthening surveillance, expanding diagnostic capacity closer to affected communities, protecting healthcare workers, and accelerating research on diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines,” said Nachega.

“Everything possible must be done to contain the outbreak early and prevent further regional, continental, and global spread.”

Nachega said the current outbreak posed serious challenges because it involved a less common strain of Ebola, for which there are currently no licensed vaccines or specifically approved treatments.

Scientists from the university are working alongside researchers in the DRC on epidemiological investigations, genomic surveillance, and the monitoring of viral evolution and genetic variability.

The research teams are also mobilising financial resources to support the development of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines targeting the Bundibugyo Ebola virus.

The university said its response builds on longstanding scientific collaborations with Prof Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, director of the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale in the DRC and one of Africa’s leading virologists.

The partnerships were strengthened during collaborative work on the Covid-19 pandemic and the Mpox outbreak, allowing scientists to rapidly co-ordinate efforts during the current Ebola emergency.

Researchers are also focusing on epidemic preparedness and workforce development through international training initiatives, including the NIH-Fogarty-funded Emerging and Re-emerging Pathogens Research Training Programme in the DRC.

According to the university, one of the major concerns surrounding the outbreak is the limited ability of some widely used rapid molecular diagnostic systems to reliably detect the Bundibugyo strain.

Samples often need to be referred to specialised laboratories for confirmation, delaying isolation procedures and contact tracing efforts.

Although Bundibugyo Ebola generally has a lower fatality rate than the more common Zaire strain, scientists warned mortality rates could still reach between 40% and 50%, especially in areas with weak healthcare systems and delayed access to treatment.

The emergence of confirmed cases in both the DRC and Uganda has also heightened fears of cross-border transmission due to regional trade routes, population movement and instability in affected areas.

Nachega said strengthening healthcare systems and accelerating scientific collaboration across Africa would be critical to containing the outbreak before it spreads further.

“This work reflects the importance of collaborative research, training and public health partnerships in responding to emerging infectious disease threats across the continent,” the university said.

According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), there are no confirmed Ebola cases in South Africa and no evidence of local transmission linked to the current outbreak in the DRC and Uganda.

The NICD states that the Ebola virus disease does not occur naturally in South Africa. The institute adds that suspected cases can be rapidly tested through its high-containment laboratory system if required.

While the NICD notes that imported cases are theoretically possible through travel from affected regions, it indicates there is currently no sign of an Ebola infection in South Africa related to the recent outbreak.

Public health messaging aligned with NICD guidance continues to describe the risk to South Africa as very low at present, with no indication of spread beyond the affected countries in Central and East Africa.

The NICD continues to monitor the outbreak in co-ordination with the WHO and regional health authorities, particularly due to concerns about cross-border movement in the region.

– Read more on the NICD website about the Bundiboyo strain of Ebola in the current outbreak: https://www.nicd.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Bundibuyo_Fact_Sheet_May-2026.pdf

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok or WhatsApp Channel