WHO Launches First Trial to Prevent Bundibugyo Ebola Infection

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Geneva : The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched the first clinical trial to test whether an antiviral drug can prevent infection with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola among people recently exposed to the virus. The study is being carried out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the outbreak is centred.

The trial will evaluate the experimental antiviral drug obeldesivir in about 1,000 people aged 12 and above who had close contact with confirmed Ebola patients but are not yet showing symptoms. Participants will be monitored to determine whether the treatment can stop the disease from developing.

The Bundibugyo strain currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment, making the trial a significant step in efforts to control the outbreak. Health authorities say the disease has spread rapidly in eastern Congo and into neighbouring Uganda, highlighting the urgent need for effective prevention tools.

Pic Credit: AFP/Representative Image