WHO adds first diagnostic test for Ebola Bundibugyo virus to Emergency Use Listing
6 reported
The World Health Organization has added the first molecular diagnostic test for Bundibugyo virus to its Emergency Use Listing. The test detects the virus by identifying its genetic material in blood samples. WHO’s Emergency Use Listing procedure assesses the quality, safety, and performance of essential health products. The listing comes as countries respond to the largest recorded outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus. As of July 15, 2026, 1,406 laboratory-confirmed cases and 438 deaths had been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo alone. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared a public health emergency of international concern over the outbreak on May 17, 2026. Laboratory testing capacity has expanded from a limited number of sites to a network of 10 laboratories across affected provinces with a reported capacity of over 2,000 tests per day.
What’s reported
WHO added the first molecular diagnostic test for Bundibugyo virus to its Emergency Use Listing.
The test detects the virus by identifying its genetic material in blood samples.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared a public health emergency of international concern on May 17, 2026.
As of July 15, 2026, 1,406 laboratory-confirmed cases and 438 deaths had been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Laboratory testing capacity expanded from an estimated 200–400 tests per day to over 2,000 tests per day across 10 laboratories.
WHO and Africa CDC are establishing a joint validation platform to evaluate diagnostic products.
Key figures
Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Systems, Access and Data
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General
Sources: World Health Organization
