BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / RankWire.AI / – The European Commission has finalized an agreement to acquire €2.1 million worth of PCR tests to address the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak. These open-platform tests aim to assist in identifying infections more effectively and to enhance laboratory infrastructure amid the crisis. The procurement process was carried out with support from the European Health and Digital Executive Agency. Shipment of supplies will commence in August, supplementing diagnostic resources as health officials manage increasing case numbers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The PCR testing kits will be sent to the World Health Organization’s Hub for Global Health Emergencies Logistics located in Dubai. WHO will oversee their distribution to areas actively engaged in the Ebola response. PCR testing is vital for confirming infections, as laboratories can analyze numerous samples swiftly and with high precision. Additionally, the equipment is compatible with existing laboratory setups. Rapid confirmation enables health teams to identify infected individuals, arrange suitable treatment and isolation, and facilitate contact tracing for confirmed cases.
This latest procurement builds on a separate European Commission agreement that provided €2.5 million for rapid molecular point-of-care tests and testing devices, supporting the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Collectively, these initiatives bring the total diagnostic support from the European Union to €4.6 million. These efforts are part of a broader European initiative responding to the Bundibugyo virus outbreak, which has increasingly strained healthcare systems across affected regions in Central and East Africa.
Diagnostic efforts expand as outbreak intensifies
By August 12, WHO reported a total of 4,665 confirmed cases and 2,184 deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The outbreak affected 54 health zones across six provinces, including Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, and Bas-Uélé. WHO characterized this as the largest Ebola outbreak ever documented in the country. The organization also noted that transmission remains intense, with interconnected geographic clusters fueling ongoing spread within the affected regions.
On August 14, WHO maintained its highest national risk level for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It evaluated the regional threat for neighboring nations as high, while the risk for other countries was deemed low. Following a second meeting of its International Health Regulations Emergency Committee, WHO issued updated temporary recommendations on August 24. These guidelines address surveillance, case detection, infection prevention, clinical care, community engagement, and measures related to domestic mobility and large gatherings.
European support now totals €493 million
The European Commission announced it has allocated €493 million toward emergency aid, vaccines, treatment, and health security efforts across the Great Lakes and Uganda regions. European health agencies have also contributed to surveillance, laboratory work, and preparedness initiatives during the outbreak. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control continues to assess the risk to European populations as very low, citing the necessity of direct contact with infectious body fluids and the low probability of sustained transmission in Europe.
The Bundibugyo outbreak remains classified as a public health emergency of international concern, as declared by WHO on May 17. Unlike the more frequently encountered Zaire ebolavirus, the Bundibugyo virus currently has no approved vaccine or targeted treatment. WHO continues emphasizing surveillance, rapid diagnostics, patient isolation, clinical management, infection control, and contact tracing as core response measures. The latest PCR procurement by the European Commission enhances laboratory capacity to support these efforts, while WHO and Africa CDC coordinate health interventions with national authorities in affected and neighboring countries.