Virus

• Moderna has launched a first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial (NCT07737717) for mRNA-1469, an investigational vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV). • The study is being conducted across three sites in Canada and aims to enroll approximately 80 healthy adult participants to evaluate safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity. • This development is critical because while vaccines exist for Zaire ebolavirus, there are currently no approved vaccines to protect against BDBV, which has caused outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

• 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.

Cases have passed 4,000 and health watchdog plans to go door to door to find patients in major response escalationThe virus causing a massive outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could be mutating, health officials fear, as confirmed cases pass 4,000.Africa’s public health watchdog said the time for incremental action was over, as they announced plans to scale up every aspect of the response and go “door to door” looking for patients. Continue reading...

Helicopter surveillance finds dead and dying greater crested terns off South Australian coast as H5 virus spreadsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMore than 80 dead and sick birds seen on rocks off the South Australian coast are suspected to be the first mass mortality event from the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, only six weeks after the disease arrived in Australia.Authorities reported on Saturday that helicopter surveillance had revealed 49 dead greater crested terns on Baudin Rocks, near Robe, as well as 35 more sick terns. Continue reading...

As the death toll rises to almost 1,500, and with a vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain potentially still months away, health workers face a battle to slow the outbreakThe latest numbers of confirmed cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has made this latest outbreak the fastest growing in the known history of the virus.At 3,360 confirmed cases, the disease is now affecting people in five provinces in the east of the DRC, with 1,487 deaths recorded, representing an overall case fatality rate estimated at about 45%, according to Congolese health officials. Health responses to the outbreak have been badly hampered by conflict in many of the affected areas. Continue reading...

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new policy on Tuesday banning federal funding for "dangerous" gain-of-function research. • This type of research involves enhancing viruses to predict potential threats, a practice that has faced scrutiny following the COVID-19 pandemic. • The move follows a 2020 order from the Trump administration and aligns with a bipartisan bill signed by President Joe Biden on March 20, 2023.

• A public health emergency occurred in May 2026 involving the Bundibugyo virus (Orthoebolavirus bundibugyoense) across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. • The disease is characterized by high mortality rates, yet it currently lacks licensed vaccines, approved therapeutics, and widespread diagnostic implementation. • This outbreak highlights a critical gap in medical countermeasures and a lack of understanding regarding the virus's reservoir ecology.

• A public health emergency occurred in May 2026 across the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda due to an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease. • The disease, caused by *Orthoebolavirus bundibugyoense*, is characterized by high mortality rates and a lack of understood reservoir ecology. • Current medical responses are hindered by limited diagnostic implementation and a total absence of licensed vaccines or therapeutics specifically approved for this species.

• The Oxford Vaccine Group has launched the world's first Phase I clinical trial for a vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo ebolavirus. • The initiative is being supported by India's Serum Institute to develop a viable immunization strategy against this specific strain. • This trial is critical for expanding global preparedness against Ebola outbreaks and developing targeted vaccines for diverse virus variants.

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared the end of the hantavirus outbreak that was linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius. • While the hantavirus threat has subsided, the WHO issued a critical warning regarding an escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). • The situation in the DRC is deteriorating rapidly, with health officials reporting nearly 40 new Ebola infections occurring on a daily basis.

• An international clinical trial has launched to evaluate potential treatments for Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) as patient enrollment begins. • Sponsored by the WHO and coordinated by partners in the DRC, Belgium, and the UK, the study responds to an outbreak in the DRC where over 1,400 people have been diagnosed. • The trial is critical because there are currently no approved therapies for BVD, a disease that has already caused an estimated 440 deaths in the current outbreak.

• The PARTNERS clinical trial has officially opened patient enrolment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to identify the first effective treatments for Bundibugyo virus (BVD). • This international effort focuses on evaluating potential therapies for Ebola disease specifically caused by the BVD strain, utilizing facilities like the ALIMA Ebola Treatment Centre. • The trial is critical because it addresses a specific gap in medical countermeasures for a dangerous virus that causes severe hemorrhagic fever.

Princess Cruises vessel is docked in San Francisco for disinfecting in third outbreak for company this yearMore than 100 passengers and about 23 crew members on a Princess Cruises ship fell sick from suspected norovirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), marking the third outbreak to hit one of the company’s watercrafts this year.The Ruby Princess vessel set sail on 12 June from San Francisco, bound for Alaska and Canada, with a scheduled return on 2 July. More than two weeks into the journey, CDC officials received a report of an outbreak, which is defined by a threshold of 3% or more of passengers. Aboard the ship were 3,032 passengers and 1,144 crew members, per the CDC. Continue reading...

Migratory giant petrel discovered near Hawks Nest north of Newcastle infected with H5. Testing under way to determine if it’s highly pathogenic H5N1 strainFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNew South Wales has its first suspected case of the deadly H5 bird flu in a giant petrel that was found near Hawks Nest, north of Newcastle, on the state’s coast.If CSIRO testing confirms it is the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain, it would mark the first detection of the deadly disease on the Australian east coast. Continue reading...

The outbreak infected 13 people and ‌killed threeSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailThe World ⁠Health Organization on Thursday declared the ⁠hantavirus ⁠outbreak ​linked to a cruise ⁠ship over after the last identified ⁠contact of an ​exposed ‌person ‌completed quarantine and tested ‌negative for the virus.The outbreak, which infected 13 people and ‌killed three, involved the Andes virus, ​a rare hantavirus strain that typically circulates in ⁠Argentina and Chile. ​The cruise ​ship, MV Hondius, ​set off ​from ‌Argentina ​on ​1 April. Continue reading...

• CDC surveillance data indicates that parainfluenza virus and human metapneumovirus levels are currently elevated across the United States this summer. • Because no vaccines exist for these two respiratory viruses, parents are advised to monitor symptoms and understand the risks associated with these infections. • In separate medical updates, a June 2026 trial suggests probiotics may enhance antidepressant efficacy for seniors, while two 2026 trials indicate Paxlovid may not significantly reduce hospitalizations for vaccinated high-risk adults.

Patient reported to have been admitted to the Queen Elizabeth university hospital in the early hours of TuesdayA patient is being tested for the suspected Ebola virus at a Glasgow hospital, the Press Association has reported.It is understood the patient was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth university hospital in the early hours of Tuesday. Continue reading...

• Researchers screened over 5,000 compounds and identified 70 existing drugs that effectively suppress Puumala orthohantavirus infections in human cells. • The discovery includes unexpected candidates such as beta-lactam antibiotics, suggesting that repurposed medications can combat the virus. • This finding is significant because it provides a fast-tracked pipeline for developing the first approved treatments for life-threatening hantavirus diseases.

• The Bundibugyo virus, a rare orthoebolavirus, remains a significant public health threat due to its ability to cause severe epidemic disease with high mortality rates. • While advances in supportive care have improved patient outcomes, there are currently no licensed vaccines or approved therapeutics specifically designed for the Bundibugyo virus. • Research using human serum and nonhuman primates indicates that vaccines developed for the Ebola virus may provide critical cross-protection against this related pathogen.

• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected to formally end its hantavirus response, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing acting director Jay Bhattacharya. • The decision follows a cruise ship outbreak that occurred nearly two months prior, which resulted in three fatalities. • This wind-down signifies the conclusion of the official public health emergency response to this specific cluster of infections.

The US health department said the enforced 42-day quarantine was necessary to protect the publicEight Americans quarantined for six weeks in Nebraska after they were exposed to a deadly hantavirus outbreak were released on Monday, including one who accused the government of holding her against her will.The US health and human services department (HHS) confirmed that it had ended the required isolation for the group, who were among dozens evacuated from the MV Hondius cruise ship in the Canary Islands early in May. Continue reading...

Kennedy overrides CDC order saying an American who came into contact with hantavirus can self-quarantine The Trump administration is employing “authoritarian” and “unconstitutional” quarantine measures for at least one person who came into contact with a hantavirus patient, health law experts say.The mandatory quarantine, reimposed without an offering scientific evidence, reveals how the US might approach future cases of Ebola and other pathogens in the US – and sets a precedent for detaining Americans with no scientific rationale. Continue reading...

• The U.S. administration has implemented strict health restrictions, including mandatory quarantine orders for two passengers from a cruise ship affected by hantavirus. • In a more severe measure, the government is blocking American citizens who contract Ebola from returning to the United States for medical treatment. • These policies have sparked significant public health concerns regarding the legality and ethics of denying citizens access to domestic healthcare during crises.

• 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.

• The U.S. administration has implemented strict travel restrictions, including banning entry for individuals from countries experiencing Ebola outbreaks and blocking infected U.S. citizens from returning home for treatment. • Additionally, federal officials imposed mandatory quarantine orders on two passengers from a cruise ship affected by hantavirus. • These measures have sparked significant concern among public health and infectious disease experts, as the World Health Organization explicitly opposes such travel bans.

• A new outbreak of the Ebola Bundibugyo virus has emerged, affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and surrounding neighboring countries. • Pharmaceutical and biotech companies are collaborating with global health and humanitarian partners to coordinate a rapid medical response. • This industry involvement is critical to accelerating the containment of the virus and providing necessary treatments to affected populations.

• Researchers, including Dr. Paul Bollyky of Stanford Medical Center, are struggling to secure funding and infrastructure to develop vaccines and treatments for the hantavirus. • The lack of medical countermeasures was highlighted during a recent hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship, where no preventative tools were available. • Development is hindered by the virus's sporadic nature and the rarity of infections, which makes conducting large-scale clinical trials significantly more difficult than for common germs like the flu.

• A hantavirus outbreak linked to a Dutch cruise ship in early May has triggered a surge of health misinformation, mirroring patterns seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. • False claims are circulating that the outbreak was caused by COVID-19 vaccines, based on a misinterpretation of a Pfizer document listing events to be monitored during trials. • The misinformation falsely presents a list of pre-designated monitoring conditions as confirmed adverse events, a tactic previously used to spread falsehoods about COVID-19.