Global Ebola preparedness fixated on one strain, leaving gaps for other species

Krutika Kuppalli, a former WHO medical officer, and virologist Placide Mbala write that the world’s readiness for Ebola has been narrowly focused. They draw on Kuppalli’s experience in the 2014‑2016 West Africa outbreak and Mbala’s work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The authors explain that Ebola virus disease is caused by several distinct virus species, each with different diagnostic and therapeutic needs. Yet for most of the past decade, global efforts have centered on Zaire ebolavirus, the strain behind the West Africa crisis.

The ongoing Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the DRC has become the country’s largest Ebola event and the second‑largest epidemic ever recorded. Its rapid spread underscores the danger of overlooking non‑Zaire strains.

Kuppalli and Mbala argue that this situation exposes a fundamental blind spot in global health preparedness, urging a broader focus that includes all Ebola species.