CAPRISA

CAPRISA Director Professor Salim Abdool Karim this week travelled to Bunia in the DRC, the epicenter of the active hashtag outbreak caused by the rare hashtag virus. Sharing a glimpse into some insights observed along the way:

🔬Information and awareness messaging at Kinshasa International Airport by the DRC's National Health Dept.
🔬Visuals of one of the largest hospitals - approximately 80 beds - for Ebola patients in Bunia. Areas within the hospital include a PPE doffing area for healthcare workers, a satellite pharmacy for Ebola patients, designated zones to manage patients.

The visit reiterated salient points around prioritising work in the community, from the Global Virus Network briefing earlier this week:
👌It is vital to build trust in communities, particularly in the highly insecure area that is currently Bunia. "Right now we have 25 health zones in the DRS which have confirmed cases.” - Maria Van Kerkhove World Health Organization (WHO)
The World Health Organisation is building several makeshift Ebola wards at the hospital depicted in these pictures, for both suspected and confirmed cases.
👌"Everything starts and ends in the community. This is a complex outbreak and so we need a co-ordinated approach in our response." - Yap Boum II Africa CDC
👌"Ongoing transmission to healthcare workers is a challenge. The community needs to have confidence in the healthcare workers." - Professor Salim Abdool Karim CAPRISA

CAPRISA Director Professor Salim Abdool Karim joined the DG of the DRC’s Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) - Jean-Jacques Muyembe - in Kinshasa at the Global Virus Network media briefing unpacking the latest on the outbreak in that country.

📖Here are some of the key takeaways from the expert panel media briefing:

👌"We have increased our capacity to test. Per day we have more or less 100 specimens to be tested in the lab. But we need rapid tests for the community." - Jean-Jacques Muyembe

👌"We are seeing early supportive care saving lives but we do need people to come forward for this treatment. A comprehensive response is necessary under the leadership of the government." - Maria Van Kerkhove (World Health Organization)

👌"Because of investments made in 2014/2015, we have between 10-15 high level isolation centres scattered around Europe. There are numerous ebola treatment units in Africa that need to be stood up on short notice." - Sten Vermund (Global Virus Network)

👌"We need a rapid on-site diagnostic and that will make a difference. Concerns might be about turn around in terms of results becoming available." - Professor Salim Abdool Karim (CAPRISA)

📅 SAVE THE DATE RE EBOLA: Global Virus Network Media Briefing. 10 June 2026. Registration is limited to members of the media.
Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dNa5ymEA

Join the team! CAPRISA invites suitably qualified and experienced candidates to apply for the following position: Epidemiologist. To submit your application, visit our careers page: https://caprisa.erecruit.co

With the 9th SA TB Conference just days away, our Deputy Director, Professor Kogie Naidoo, will be taking on the challenge of how to sustain the momentum to end TB, in the opening plenary on June 8th. https://tbconference.co.za

scientists call for, "Urgent need for a reliable rapid diagnostic test for the Ebola epidemic caused by Bundibugyo virus in Africa" - The Lancet

Urgent need for a reliable rapid diagnostic test for the Ebola epidemic caused by Bundibugyo virus in Africa The 2026 epidemic of Ebola virus disease caused by Bundibugyo virus (species Orthoebolavirus bundibugyoense) in DR Congo and Uganda has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by WHO1 and a public health emergency of continental security by the Africa Centres for Disease Con...

Join the team! CAPRISA invites suitably qualified and experienced candidates to apply for the following position: Community liaison officer. To submit your application, visit our careers page: https://caprisa.erecruit.co

Join the team! CAPRISA invites suitably qualified and experienced candidates to apply for the following position: Data coordinator. To submit your application, visit our careers page: https://caprisa.erecruit.co

Race to contain rare Ebola strain as cases explode in war-torn DRC https://youtu.be/AV5MJ9_hwjc?si=8t0gB34G2NJNDCe2 via
Enda Brady speaks to Professor Salim Abdool Karim.

Race to contain rare Ebola strain as cases explode in war-torn DRC The World Health Organization is warning that the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in East Africa is 'outpacing' the body's efforts to counter the outbreak.E...

Join the team! CAPRISA invites suitably qualified and experienced candidates to apply for the following positions: Junior Bioinformatics Scientist & Laboratory Technician. To submit your application, visit our careers page: https://caprisa.erecruit.co