2026 Bundibugyo Virus Outbreak: The Role of Genomics in Orthoebolavirus outbreaks

Central Africa is currently experiencing its third recorded outbreak of Bundibugyo virus, one of three orthoebolaviruses capable of causing person-to-person transmission and lethal haemorrhagic fevers in humans. The first genomes from this outbreak have been made available, creating an opportunity to reflect on the role of genomics in previous ebolavirus outbreaks, the costs associated with genome sequencing and how they can be reduced, and future uses of genomic data for public health benefit.