Congo-Kinshasa: DR Congo Receives 70,000 Ebola Vaccine Doses As Bundibugyo Outbreak Spreads

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is set to receive 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine from the UN's international vaccine coordination group (ICG) to combat the spreading Ebola virus disease. This shipment was approved after the DRC government requested doses from the global Ebola vaccine stockpile last week. The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed the allocation but emphasized that the effectiveness of the Ervebo vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola remains uncertain.

Early laboratory and animal data suggest some protection, prompting the WHO to conduct further clinical trials. Of the 70,000 doses, 20,000 will be allocated for a clinical trial in the DRC, while the remaining 50,000 will be distributed to healthcare workers. Despite the high risk of severe side effects, the vaccine has been proven safe through clinical trials.

The Ebola outbreak, declared on May 15, has become the deadliest in the country's history, with 2,325 deaths reported as of June 30. However, the total case count has risen to 5,021, according to data released on Wednesday. Over 160 healthcare workers have contracted Ebola, with 40 fatalities. The conflict in eastern DRC, involving the Congolese Government and various armed groups, has impeded efforts to control the virus's spread.

This conflict has led to the closure of health centers, making contact-tracing and safe burials nearly impossible. The M23 armed group, backed by Rwanda, has reportedly announced a suspension of shared taxi and boat trips to and from Ebola-affected zones to prevent the virus's spread in the controlled territories. The DRC has sanctioned and condemned the M23 militia for its atrocities against civilians, including forced recruitment, mass killings, and sexual violence.

The ICG has allocated 56,000 Ervebo vaccine doses to respond to multiple Ebola outbreaks in the DRC between 2021 and July 2026.