WHO puts first molecular test for Bundibugyo virus in Emergency Use Listing

📌 Summary:

• On July 2, 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) added the first molecular diagnostic test for Bundibugyo virus (BDBV) to its Emergency Use Listing (EUL)
• The test detects the virus by identifying its genetic material in blood samples, enabling rapid and accurate confirmation of infection
• Bundibugyo is a strain of the Ebola virus; on May 17, 2026 the WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) over an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with spillover into Uganda
• WHO has categorised this epidemic as the largest — and possibly most brutal — in the region

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 Science & Technology / Health — WHO regulatory tools (EUL) for rapid diagnostics during outbreaks; global health governance and epidemic preparedness.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Bundibugyo virus (BDBV) is one of the strains of the Ebolavirus genus
• Emergency Use Listing (EUL) is a WHO risk-based procedure to expedite availability of medical products during public health emergencies
• PHEIC over the DRC Bundibugyo outbreak declared on May 17, 2026

🔑 Key Term: Emergency Use Listing (EUL) — a time-limited WHO assessment allowing unlicensed vaccines, tests and therapeutics to be used during declared public health emergencies.