DR Congo rolls out Ebola vaccine for health workers as death toll rises

Bunia, Congo (AP) - The Democratic Republic of Congo has commenced vaccinating healthcare workers against Ebola in Bunia, the hub of the most rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak in history, according to the provincial governor. Health personnel and other frontline responders are being given priority for the Ervebo vaccine, which proved effective in previous Ebola outbreaks caused by a more prevalent type of virus.

Clinical trials are underway to secure a licensed vaccine for the current outbreak, characterized by the Bundibugyo virus, which lacks a licensed vaccine or treatment. The distribution is focusing on the Bunia and Mongbwalu districts in Ituri province, both of which are severely impacted by the virus. Ituri's military governor, Maj.

Gen. Gaby Kasongo Mulumba, emphasized that providing this vaccination drive for front-line staff in Ituri is not an arbitrary decision, given their heightened exposure and active involvement in the response. The campaign in Ituri and North Kivu provinces aims to cover 20,000 front-line workers over a six to nine-month period. As of Saturday, the country had reported 7,541 confirmed cases, including 3,639 fatalities, alongside 1,823 recoveries.

The outbreak is centered in Ituri province and is deemed the deadliest of all 17 Ebola outbreaks in the nation's history. The World Health Organization (WHO) asserts that the outbreak remains uncontrolled and is on track to surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, the most lethal on record, claiming over 11,000 lives primarily in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

Dr. Jeannot Elua, interviewed by The Associated Press at a health facility in Bunia, declared the vaccine beneficial, stating that healthcare workers have no choice but to receive it. Dr. Jean Paul Uzele, another front-line health worker who received the Ervebo vaccine during the 10th Ebola outbreak, expressed uncertainty about whether he should receive vaccination again, as it is unclear if additional doses are necessary.

The Ervebo vaccine, licensed for the Zaire strain of Ebola, a more widespread type, has been rolled out in Kisangani, Tshopo, Bas-Uele, and Haut-Uele provinces. About 50,000 doses are earmarked for front-line workers and health personnel, while 20,000 will participate in a clinical trial to determine if the vaccine offers protection against the Bundibugyo virus, the causative agent of the ongoing outbreak with no licensed vaccine or treatment.

The vaccine is being administered under a compassionate-use program, allowing its use in serious disease situations despite lacking specific approval for that purpose. Health authorities posit that Ervebo may provide some level of protection against Bundibugyo virus due to the viruses' related nature, although its efficacy in preventing illness among Bundibugyo Ebola-infected individuals remains under investigation.