BRUSSELS, BELGIUM / RankWire.AI / – European Commission has agreed to purchase €2.1 million worth of PCR tests to aid the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak. These open-platform diagnostics will support infection detection efforts and enhance laboratory capacity amid the crisis. The procurement was coordinated with assistance from the European Health and Digital Executive Agency. Shipments are expected to start in August, providing additional diagnostic supplies as health authorities tackle rising 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 in Dubai. WHO will oversee their distribution to regions involved in the Ebola response. PCR testing is crucial for confirming infections because laboratories can process large numbers of samples rapidly and with high precision. These devices are compatible with existing laboratory infrastructure. Quick diagnosis enables health teams to identify infected patients, implement suitable care and isolation protocols, and conduct contact tracing around confirmed cases.
This procurement complements a separate European Commission initiative that provided €2.5 million for rapid molecular point-of-care tests and testing devices. These supplies will be distributed to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Collectively, the two agreements bring the total diagnostic support from the EU to €4.6 million. These measures form part of a broader European response to the Bundibugyo virus crisis, which is exerting increasing pressure on healthcare systems in affected parts of Central and East Africa.
Diagnostic capacity expands amid escalating outbreak
According to WHO, by August 12, the Democratic Republic of the Congo had reported 4,665 confirmed cases and 2,184 deaths. Cases had been identified across 54 health zones in six provinces, including Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uélé, Tshopo, and Bas-Uélé. WHO characterized this as the largest Ebola outbreak ever documented within the country. The agency noted that transmission remained intense, with interconnected geographic clusters fueling ongoing spread within affected regions.
On August 14, WHO maintained its highest national risk level for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The risk for neighboring nations was assessed as high, while the threat to other countries was deemed low. After its second meeting, 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 mass gatherings.
European support now totals €493 million in emergency aid
The European Commission announced it has mobilized €493 million for emergency assistance, vaccines, treatment, and health security initiatives across the Great Lakes and Uganda regions. European health authorities have also contributed to surveillance efforts, laboratory work, and preparedness activities during the outbreak. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control continues to assess the risk to Europeans as very low. Their evaluation is based on the low likelihood of sustained transmission and the requirement for direct contact with infectious body fluids.
The Bundibugyo outbreak remains designated a public health emergency of international concern by WHO, a status declared on May 17. Unlike the more common Zaire ebolavirus, there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo virus. WHO continues to emphasize the importance of surveillance, rapid diagnosis, isolation, clinical management, infection control, and contact monitoring. The latest PCR procurement by the European Commission strengthens laboratory capacity for these efforts, as WHO and Africa CDC coordinate health responses with national authorities in affected and neighboring countries.