Emergence of a Bundibugyo virus variant in the 2026 outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda

Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Adrienne Amuri-Aziza, Gradi Luakanda-Ndelemo, Eddy Kinganda-Lusamaki, Raphael Lumembe-Numbi, Prince Akil-Bandali, Rilia Ola-Mpumbe, Tina Bakutumba-Loweya, Fiston Cikaya-Kankolongo, David Isengelo-Sikatenda, Servet Kimbonza, Judith Tete-Sitra, Pauline-Chloé Musuamba-Kayembe, Andre Citenga, Julie Tuenakoko-Kulumbula, Nelson Mapenzi-Kashali, Baby Muyembe, Jean-Claude Makangara-Cigolo, Elzedek Mabika-Bope, Kelly-Michel Kenye, Princesse Paku-Tshambu, Sabue Mulangu, Steve Ahuka-Mundeke, Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, Tony Wawina-Bokalanga & Placide Mbala-Kingebeni Department of Clinical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium Adrienne Amuri-Aziza, Daan Jansen, Laurens Liesenborghs, Koen Vercauteren & Tony Wawina-Bokalanga Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium Adrienne Amuri-Aziza & Laurens Liesenborghs National Health Laboratory & Diagnostic Services, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda Alisen Ayitewala, Andrew Tebba, Stephen Kanyerezi, Susan Nabadda, Ibrahimm Mugerwa, Judith Kyokushaba, Carol Makoha, Hellen Oundo Rosette, Valeria Nakintu, Tonny Muyigi, Godfrey Pimundu, Aloysious Ssemaganda & Isaac Ssewanyana Laboratoire Provincial de Santé Publique, Ituri, Democratic Republic of the Congo Pascal Adroba-Tandele, Salomon Banyima-Satchu, François Berocan-Underos, Berkias Bakambu-Nebape, Neema Kavugho-Sindani & Lievin Tibasima-Dhesa Service de Microbiologie, Département de Biologie Médicale, Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa, Université de Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Eddy Kinganda-Lusamaki, Daniel Mukadi-Bamuleka, Sabue Mulangu, Steve Ahuka-Mundeke, Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, Tony Wawina-Bokalanga & Placide Mbala-Kingebeni TransVIHMI, Université de Montpellier, INSERM, IRD, Montpellier, France Eddy Kinganda-Lusamaki, Ahidjo Ayouba & Martine Peeters Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda Pontiano Kaleebu, Stephen Balinandi & Deogratius Ssemwanga Institut National de Santé Publique (INSP), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Christian Ngandu, Dieudonné Mwamba & Pierre Akilimali Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda Allan Muruta, Daniel J. Kyabayinze, Daniel Kadobera, Daniel Euriene, Eilu Micheal, Ronnie Bahatungire, Sam Gidudu, Charles Olaro, Atek Kagiria & Benard Lubwama African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data-Intensive Science, Makerere University Kampala, Kampala, Uganda Daudi Jjingo, Andrew Walakira, Syrus Semawule, Kevin Cissy Nabukeera & Ronald Galiwango World Health Organization Country Office, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Olga Ntumba-Tshitenge Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda Misaki Wayengera World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo John O. Otshudiema Institute of Genomics and Global Health, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Nigeria Nosamiefan Iguosadolo, Anise Happi, Elijah Sijuwola, Mudasiru Femi Saibu, Colby WIlkason, Al Ozonoff & Pardis Sabeti Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces, Kampala, Uganda Henry Kyobe Bosa Rodolphe Merieux INRB-Goma Laboratory, Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo Daniel Mukadi-Bamuleka Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, Miami, Florida, USA Sabue Mulangu University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK Nick Loman & Samuel Wilkinson Department of Epidemiology, Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA Anne W. Rimoin Virology Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium Kevin K. Ariën Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK Áine O’Toole & Andrew Rambaut African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Nigeria Christian Happi Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Nigeria Christian Happi European Plotkin Institute for Vaccinology, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium Piet Maes Pandemic Sciences Institute, Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK Miles W. Carroll Department of Medical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada Jason Kindrachuk Kinshasa School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo Pierre Akilimali South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa Placide Mbala-Kingebeni