The writer is a science commentator
The happiest ending, if that is the right phrase, for any disease outbreak is that it naturally burns itself out or is snuffed out by countermeasures, such as vaccines and drugs. For a new Ebola outbreak currently spreading inside and beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo, neither finale looks imminent.
Last week, the World Health Organization said there were more than 1,000 suspected cases of Bundibugyo virus disease, caused by a rare virus for which there is no vaccine or targeted treatment. Most of the 1,000-plus suspected cases are in DR Congo, with some in neighbouring Uganda, including the capital Kampala. The true toll, though, is thought to be higher. The virus is circulating in a border area characterised by conflict, poverty and displacement, making testing and contact tracing difficult. The WHO declared it a public health emergency of international concern on May 17, though not a pandemic, with it posing the highest risk to those in the region.