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

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has received 70,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine from the UN's international vaccine coordination group (ICG) to combat the spreading Ebola virus disease outbreak. The Ervebo vaccine, originally designed to combat the Zaire ebolavirus responsible for the 2014-2016 West African epidemic, was approved by the ICG following a request from the DRC government last week.

The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed the allocation but cautioned that the Ervebo vaccine's effectiveness against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola is still uncertain. Preliminary laboratory and animal data suggest that the vaccine may offer some protection, and a clinical trial is planned to provide further evidence. Of the 70,000 doses, 20,000 will be used for the trial and 50,000 will be allocated to health workers.

Despite the vaccine's rarity of severe side effects, some residents in affected areas might receive it outside the trial. The Ebola outbreak, declared on May 15, has become the deadliest in the country's history, with 2,325 deaths and 5,021 cases reported as of Wednesday. The conflict in eastern DRC has impeded efforts to contain the virus by obstructing medical teams from reaching conflict zones, demolishing or shutting down health centers, and displacing thousands.

The ongoing conflict between the Congolese government and the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group has also complicated the situation, hindering the response to the Ebola outbreak.