Oxford University announced on Friday, July 29th, 2026, that a volunteer has received the first dose of a newly developed vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. This strain is responsible for a deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda that has resulted in more than 1,270 deaths out of nearly 3,000 infections since May, according to the World Health Organization.

The vaccine, named ChAdOx1 BDBV, uses the same technology as AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine. The first dose was administered to 37-year-old volunteer Ed Hunt in Oxford, UK. David Pulido-Gomez of Oxford's Pandemic Sciences Institute stated, "We've taken this vaccine candidate from concept to clinic in just eight weeks," highlighting the rapid development process.

The trial is funded by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and the Serum Institute of India has produced a stockpile of 620,000 doses. Oxford University is preparing for further clinical studies in partnership with Uganda, pending regulatory approval.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted on July 28th that "The outbreak continues to outpace the response," partly due to challenges in contact tracing in remote communities. Insecurity and active conflict in affected areas may mean the actual number of infections is more than double the reported figures.

This milestone reflects an extraordinary collaborative effort to address a rare but deadly Ebola strain amid ongoing public health challenges in the region.

Sources