The Democratic Republic of the Congo received a shipment of 16,250 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine in its capital, Kinshasa, on Friday, August 21. The delivery is part of a larger international effort to address an ongoing Ebola outbreak, according to information from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The doses represent the first part of a 70,000-dose allocation pledged by the WHO and partner organizations on Thursday. Health officials stated that additional shipments are scheduled to arrive in the coming week.
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. The Ervebo vaccine is officially approved for use against the Zaire strain. According to the WHO, there is no approved vaccine or treatment specifically for the Bundibugyo strain. However, the organization noted that early data from animal trials suggests the Ervebo vaccine may provide some protection.
Of the total 70,000 doses allocated for the DRC, the WHO has specified that 20,000 will be used in a late-stage clinical trial to evaluate the vaccine’s effectiveness against the Bundibugyo strain. The remaining doses are designated for front-line and health workers involved in the response efforts.
Samuel Roger Kamba, the DRC’s Minister of Health, addressed reporters about the vaccine, stating that Ervebo had been utilized in the country on previous occasions, including its use during the 2018 to 2020 Ebola outbreak.
The United Nations has reported that the current outbreak has resulted in more than 2,500 deaths from nearly 5,300 confirmed cases. In a statement earlier this week, the UN described the rate of new infections as spreading “exponentially.”
Data released by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that virus transmission has not yet reached its peak.
According to health experts cited in reports, efforts to contain the virus have been complicated by several factors in the eastern region of the DRC, including ongoing armed conflict, delays in identifying new cases, and challenges related to infrastructure. The outbreak was officially declared in mid-May, though officials believe it may have begun several weeks prior.
