The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the start of a clinical trial for potential treatments targeting the Bundibugyo virus strain - the one currently causing a deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. Because apparently, we’ve been flying blind on this particular viral jerk.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed on Thursday that the first patient has been enrolled in the DRC. This comes as the outbreak, which began in May, has been declared a public health emergency. As of June 30, the DRC has logged 1,406 confirmed cases, 301 suspected ones, and 438 deaths. Uganda hasn’t been spared either, with 20 confirmed cases and two deaths. Even France got a taste, with one confirmed case as of July 1.

The trial is sponsored by the WHO and coordinated by scientists from the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale in the DRC, the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Belgium, and the University of Oxford. Because fighting a virus is best done with international teamwork and not, say, a dartboard.

“Even without approved therapeutics, people are recovering from this disease, but of course, we could save many more lives with safe and effective therapeutics in our toolkit,” Tedros said, stating the obvious with the gravitas it deserves.

There are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo strain, which is highly infectious. Ebola normally infects fruit bats, but outbreaks in humans start when people handle infected animals. Symptoms appear two to 21 days after exposure and come on suddenly - fever, headache, tiredness - like flu or malaria but with a much worse reputation. Vaccines must be developed for each of the six Ebola species, though only three are known to cause outbreaks. Because nature loves variety, even in the worst ways.