A new Ebola outbreak in DRC went undetected for three weeks because field diagnostics couldn't identify the Bundibugyo strain. What the delay means for the response.

A new Ebola outbreak in DRC went undetected for three weeks because field diagnostics couldn't identify the Bundibugyo strain. What the delay means for the response.

About 246 suspected cases & 65 deaths have been reported mainly in Mongbwalu and Rwampara health zones in Ituri province, near the Ugandan border.

The outbreak is only the third caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or therapeutics.

Strain of virus, suspected to have killed around 80 people in recent weeks, has no approved vaccine

WHO laments “critical four-week detection gap” between when first known case started showing symptoms and laboratory confirmation of outbreak.