The World Health Organization has approved the first molecular diagnostic test for Bundibugyo virus, a rare and severe strain of Ebola that is now driving the largest recorded outbreak of its kind. The test detects the virus by identifying its genetic material in blood samples, allowing rapid and accurate confirmation of infection.
A New Tool in the Middle of a Growing Emergency
The listing comes less than two weeks after WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared a public health emergency of international concern on May 17, 2026. The outbreak began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has spread to Uganda. As of the latest count, 1,406 laboratory confirmed cases and 438 deaths have been reported in DRC alone. The virus, known as BDBV, is one of three Ebola species that cause large human outbreaks. It spreads from animals to people and then between people through direct contact.
From 200 Tests a Day to Over 2,000
Before the outbreak, laboratory testing for Bundibugyo virus was limited to a few sites, mainly the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale in Kinshasa and Goma, with a combined capacity of roughly 200 to 400 tests per day. With support from WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, that network has grown to 10 laboratories across affected provinces, now capable of running more than 2,000 tests daily. The new diagnostic test, added to WHO’s Emergency Use Listing, is meant to accelerate access to reliable tools for early case detection, clinical care, disease surveillance, and outbreak response. WHO’s listing procedure evaluates quality, safety, and performance while ensuring products meet international standards and address the needs of low and middle income countries.
What Comes Next
WHO continues to review additional applications for Bundibugyo virus diagnostic tests submitted through the emergency procedure. In parallel, WHO and Africa CDC, along with partners including PATH, FIND, and CHAI and support from Unitaid, are setting up a joint validation platform. That platform will rapidly evaluate the performance of laboratory based molecular tests, near point of care molecular tests, and antigen rapid diagnostic tests in real outbreak settings. The goal is to generate clinical evidence on how well these products work during an active epidemic. For communities in DRC and Uganda, where the outbreak is still expanding, faster and more reliable diagnosis can mean the difference between containing transmission and watching it spread further.
