Congo Ebola outbreak cases are ‘top of the iceberg’, vaccine coalition warns

On May 21, 2026

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An official from a global vaccine coalition warned Thursday that the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo represents only a fraction of the true scale and developing a safe, effective vaccine within a three-month target timeframe may prove exceptionally difficult.

The outbreak in eastern DRC has seen 600 suspected cases and over 130 suspected deaths to date, prompting the World Health Organization to declare it a public health emergency of international concern.

Jane Halton, chair of the Board of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, likened the situation to an iceberg.

“I have described this outbreak as being like an iceberg, we’ve seen the top of the iceberg, the top, as we get closer to it, is pretty large,” Halton said during a briefing in Geneva.

She emphasized that the actual numbers are likely far greater, saying, “We are now into the many hundreds of cases and hundreds of deaths, but the truth of the matter is that real numbers are much bigger than that.”

CEPI, which funds vaccine development, aims to have a safe and effective vaccine ready for major outbreaks within 100 days. When questioned about achieving this target for the current situation, Halton conceded, “Possibly, it’s a big lift.”

Two women sit beside coffins at a health center in Rwampara, Congo, Wednesday, May 20, 2026 (AP)

However, she assured that “I can guarantee you that we will be in a position to respond faster than we would have been five years ago,” though she declined to provide a specific timeframe.

Unlike the more common Zaire strain of Ebola, there are no approved virus-specific therapeutics or vaccines for the Bundibugyo strain, which is responsible for the current outbreak and has historically been less lethal.

Halton noted that work to gather antibodies for a Bundibugyo shot had begun before the outbreak, positioning it as the “next cab off the rank” for development.

“It is regrettable,” she said regarding the timing, describing it as a “very difficult position.”

Efforts are now underway to accelerate preclinical safety tests for several early-stage vaccine candidates, with the goal of conducting trials during the current outbreak, provided local communities grant informed consent.

Symptoms of Ebola include fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, and unexplained bleeding or bruising (a late stage of illness).

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