Congo begins vaccinations to fight the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history

Kisangani, Congo (AP): The Democratic Republic of Congo has launched a vaccination campaign against Ebola, aiming to curb the world's fastest-growing outbreak in history. Frontline health workers and other medical personnel are being prioritized for the Ervebo vaccine, which has proven effective against past Ebola outbreaks. Health Minister Roger Kamba announced the start of the vaccination drive in Kisangani, the capital city of Tshopo province, one of six provinces currently affected by the disease.

As of Tuesday, Congo had recorded a total of 5,713 confirmed cases, with 2,744 resulting in death. The outbreak is particularly severe, centered in Ituri province, and is considered the deadliest in the country's history. The World Health Organization warns that the epidemic shows no signs of slowing, with fears that it could surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, which claimed over 11,000 lives.

Over 50,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine have been received by Congo, with about 50,000 doses allocated for frontline workers and health personnel, while 20,000 doses will be used in clinical trials to evaluate the vaccine's efficacy against the Bundibugyo virus causing the current outbreak. Health authorities hope the vaccine will provide some protection against the Bundibugyo virus, though further studies are required to confirm its effectiveness.