The World Health Organization has raised the public health risk level from the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from “high” to “very high.”

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the updated assessment on Friday, warning that while the outbreak poses a high regional risk across Africa, the global threat level remains low.

The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no proven vaccine. Health experts say the virus kills roughly one-third of those infected.

So far, authorities have recorded approximately 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths linked to the outbreak in DR Congo.

Amid growing concern, scientists at University of Oxford are working on a new experimental vaccine that could potentially enter clinical trials within two to three months.

The vaccine is being developed using the same technology platform previously used for the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Researchers caution, however, that there is no guarantee the vaccine will prove effective until animal studies and human clinical trials are completed.

According to reports, animal testing is already under way in Oxford.

Meanwhile, Serum Institute of India is reportedly prepared to mass produce the vaccine once Oxford researchers can provide medical-grade material suitable for manufacturing.

A separate experimental vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo Ebola strain is also under development, although experts estimate it could take six to nine months before doses are ready for testing.

The outbreak has renewed international concern over the threat posed by emerging infectious diseases and the challenges of rapidly developing vaccines for rare virus strains.