Caused Bundibugyo

• On July 30, 2026, Health Canada authorized Moderna to begin a Phase I clinical trial for a candidate mRNA vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo virus, a cause of Ebola disease. • The trial will evaluate whether the candidate vaccine triggers the production of antibodies in participants' immune systems to fight the virus. • To ensure safety, participants will not be exposed to the actual orthoebolavirus and cannot contract Ebola disease during the study.

• In May 2026, outbreaks of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) were reported in Uganda and the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. • A transmission model was used to project the growth of the outbreak over a three-month period, highlighting the risk of rapid escalation. • The situation is critical because there are currently no approved vaccines or medications available to treat the *Orthoebolavirus bundibugyoense* species.