*Update*: 282 confirmed cases, Moderna enters, Kenya protests

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo has risen to 282. The Washington Post reports on first recovered patients publicly sharing their experiences – a rare sign of hope amid an outbreak that according to the WHO may have been spreading undetected for months. Reuters reports that WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wants to meet with the Congolese president, while experts warn that the actual spread of the virus is far above official figures.

Meanwhile, much is happening on the vaccine front. Moderna has announced a partnership with a global health coalition to develop an mRNA-based candidate specifically against the Bundibugyo strain – the variant driving the current outbreak. Handelsblatt reports that the WHO is prioritising experimental medicines. In parallel, the WHO has already expedited approval of three additional Ebola vaccine candidates to expand options in the field.

Protests in Kenya against quarantine centre

Kenya is providing political fuel: in the small town of Nanyuki, hundreds of young people demonstrated against the establishment of an Ebola quarantine centre for US citizens on the grounds of Laikipia Air Base. Sky News reports that the protests began two days after a decision by Kenya's Supreme Court, which had initially approved the facility. Critics see this as unequal treatment: a special camp for Americans, while the local population must deal with the same risks.

All-clear comes from South America, however. Two suspected cases in Brazil – one in São Paulo, one in Rio de Janeiro – tested negative after laboratory tests. The patient in São Paulo tested positive for meningitis. This confirms the pattern of recent days: international suspected cases create alarm, but so far have come to nothing.

Growing pressure on the international community

Pressure on the international community is nonetheless growing. The combination of rising case numbers, a novel virus strain without an approved vaccine, and suspicion of months of undetected transmission is prompting experts to warn that the response must now be significantly faster than in previous outbreaks.